HOME GUARD UNITS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 259, 29 July 1941, Page 6

HOME GUARD UNITS

Incorporation Into Battalions NEW ORDER ISSUED An order issued yesterday by the Commander of the Wellington Home Guard Area, Major D. G. Johnston, announces an important change in all Home Guard units, which for the future are to be incorporated into battalions. These are given special titles instead of numbers, the names having some geographical significance so far as the areas are concerned. The posting of units to the battalions has been made as follows: — Watts Peninsula. —Seatoun, Miramar, Lyall Bay-Kilbirnie and Legion of Frontiersmen. • Melrose.—lsland Bay, Melrose, Berhampore, Newtown and Brooklyn. Poneke. —Central, Hataltai, Roseneath and Thorndon. Makara. —Karori, Northland, Kelburn, Makara and Ohariu Valley. Marshall. —Wadestown, Ngaio, Khandallah, Johnsonville, Tawa Flat, Titahi Bay, Plimmerton and Pahautanui. Hutt. —Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt. Somes. —East Harbour and Petone. Appointments of officers commanding the battalions have been made as follows: — Watts Peninsula.—Captain E. R. Wilson, M.C. Melrose. —Lieutenant D. Y. Gemmeh. Poneke. —Lieutenant-Colonel R. L. Evatt, V.D. Makara. —Lieutenant D. G. Ball. Marshall. —Lieutenant C. G. H. Robinson, M.C. Hutt.—Captain J. W. Andrews. Somes. —Major B. C. Kirk, M.C. Instructions have been given that Battalion Commanders will at once appoint adjutants and other officers and establish orderly rooms. With the organization set up on the basis indicated, the area office will in future deal with battailous instead of with individual units. The first issue of boots for the Home Guard was made in Wellington yesterdav. Though it provided for about only one-fifth of the guardsmen, it was welcomed as a start. Some useful material to aid training has also been issued in small quantities, but in a number of cases units themselves have, of their own initiative, provided useful gear.