TASK BEFORE UNITS

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LXII, Issue 18, 7 March 1941, Page 6

TASK BEFORE UNITS

MEETING AN INVASION

50,000 MEN INSUFFICIENT

"It is no use taking a complacent attitude and thinking that nothing will happen," declared the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates at a Home Guard parade at Dargaville, when addressing the men on the international situation in the Pacific. "Some people think that America will come into this war, but America is a large nation * with a mixed population. They' .are as diffident in America as people are here and were elsewhere," he added.

It was necessary to draw attention to the fact that Japan had joined the Tripartite Pact, .Mr Coates continued. Nothing could undo that country's responsibilities and it had to give aid to the other signatories. "We have some munitions and gradually our stocks are mounting," Mr Coates continued. "The United States has under discussion the Lease and Lend Bill and we will benefit by that. Our orders are already in."

In the event of an invasion, it must be remembered that the landing of tanks, guns and men would be preceded by attacks from the air and that within an hour of landing, tanks could be 30 miles away from the invasion point.

Men of the Home Guard would be called upon to hold the invaders until the defence, forces, which must be mobile, could take up their positions, Mr Coates added. He advised officers and men of the Home Guard to get an intimate knowledge of the areas in their sector. Fifty thousand men would not be sufficient to hold the coastal sectors of this country.