COMMISSIONED IN ARMY

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 213, 4 June 1943, Page 4

COMMISSIONED IN ARMY

Home Guard Officers

The lowest percentage of failures was recorded at the. Army School of Instruction among the class of officer cadets which paraded at a passing-out ceremony before the General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces, Lieut.-General E. Puttick. C. 8., D. 5.0.. recently. All biit one of these 37 newly commissioned officers had previously, before being called up for general service, held commissioned rank in the Home Guard. Thirtythree per cent, of the 37 gained B passes. An A pass is first class, B above average, O qualifying, and D low. General Puttick told these officers that the officer cadet training units nt Army School generally reached a high standard, and he thought theirs to be as high ns any of tlie others. Their selection for an O.C.T.U. course was in conformity with a promise given that every Home Guard officer when called up for general service would lie given the opportunity of qualifying for a commission. There was always a little uplift in a man’s outlook when appointed to commissioned rank, and it was a good thing if not carried too far, he continued, in advising them against swell-hendedness.

General Puttick had a word with tlie mobilization camp band, whoso music plays a big part, in “making” these pass-ing-out ceremonies.

He was accompanied in his inspection bv Lieut.-Colonel J. Henry. Commandant of Army School, Major G. W. O'Sullivan, G branch. Army Headquarters, and Captain G. Crossley, orderly officer.