HOME GUARD

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LXII, Issue 23, 25 March 1941, Page 4

HOME GUARD

PLATOON TO BE FORMED AT LAKESIDE

MEETING AT SEDGEMERE

SUGGESTED

As a result of a meeting held at Lakeside ori Saturday evening, a platoon of the Home Guard is to be formed there. If there are sufficient enrolments, parades are to be held at Lakeside, commencing next Monday. Speakers considered that it was advisable that a meeting should be held at Sedgemere as soon as possible and it was suggested that the unit should consist of men from both districts. Guardsmen from Lakeside at present drilling at Leeston agreed to transfer to the Lakeside unit. It was also arranged that the men in the ambulance and signalling sections who live in Lakeside should be posted to the local unit but they would continue to receive their instruction at Leeston.

There was quite a good attendance of men at the meeting while guardsmen from Leeston and Southbridge, as well as the local men paraded outside the hall before the meeting.

Mr W. J. Lambie was elected chairman. He said that he considered that this was one of the most important meetings held in Lakeside for a very long time. It was only right that every man should join up for training. It was necessary to have a unit of the Home Guard in Lakeside and it was essential to have one in every country district. The Dominion was well worth defending, but to do so it was essential than men should be properly organised and prepared. By joining up with the Home Guard this could be done, and they oould be taught discipline and how to use rifles. Without this training, if trouble came, they would be refugees. Mr R. T. McMillan, chairman of the Ellesmere Home Guard Committee said that the proposal was to form a platoon of the Home Guard in the Lakeside-Sedgemere district. It was a big district and he under-' stood that quite a lot of the men were ready to join up. Units had been formed at Leeston, Southbridge, Dunsandel, Irwell-Brookside, Doyleston, .and in all these places steady progress was being made. At1 the start it had been a little difficult to obtain enrolments, but these had improved recently and there were between 340 and 350 for the group. This was very encouraging and he hoped to see sufficient—between 30 and 40—join to form a platoon for Lakeside-Sedgemere. The way things were shaping internationally trouble might come to New Zealand at any time and the best method of defence was to be properly prepared. If there were a strong territorial force and Home Guard, the chances of this country being .attacked were less likely. In Ellesmere group officers and men of the Home Guard were enthusiastic in their work and were applying themselves seriously to their training. He ■appreciated the spirit in which the Leeston, Southbridge and Lakeside members of the guard had turned out to give the meeting a boost along. If a platoon were formed at Lakeside he was sure it would receive every assistance from Southbridge and Leeston. He hoped that there would be a unit at Lakeside and that Sedgemere men would join up. He thought that the two districts would be able to co-operate in this work quite satisfactorily and he wished them all the best of luck.

The group commander, Mr W. S. McLaughlin thanked the members of the Home Guard who had turned out for the meeting and said that they could be depended upon to help on every possible occasion. The Home Guard was a body of men who were willing to give sufficient of their spare time to prepare themselves, if necessary, to defend their own homes. That was all there was to it. There was little excuse for men who were reasonably fit not joining up with the guard and they should realise that if they did nothing they were increasing the danger of attack. There was a 50-50 chance that nothing would happen here, but at the same time, when the events of the past twelve months were re-

vised, there would be found great and startling changes in the world. Norway, Denmark, Holland, France, Rumania, Bulgaria and Hungary had fallen under the domination of the Nazis. Japan was Hitler's ally and there was no question but that he would get that country to take an active part in the war when the European situation warranted it. The Pacific was Japan's particular sphere of activity and there was no doubt that it would cause all the trouble it could there. No one could say what might happen in three months or how many raiders might be in easy cruising distance of New Zealand. At present it looked as if an invasion was unlikely but who could tell what the future would bring. The way might be temporarily open in the Pacific for an enemy to attempt to occupy New Zealand. If the country had a strong defence, if every able-bodied man knew how to use a rifle effectively even a powerful enemy would hesitate to .attack. Where the men were not trained the temptation to invade would be much greater. That was the reason why Home Guardsmen everywhere in New Zealand were spending time in preparing and fitting themselves to defend their own country. They would be ready if trouble came, but if it did not come, they would be all the better for the training. The time would not be lost. Mr McLaughlin said that he would like to see a platoon formed for Lakeside and Sedgemere. A platoon consisted of 30 men. He could not say yet which company it would be attached to, Leeston or Southbridge. The bulk of the training could be done at Lakeside. Elsewhere where men had joined up and units formed, the men were enthusiastic in their work and looked forward to parade nights. It was something worthwhile—a man's job. He asked every, able-bodied man to ask 'himself the question: Where his duty lay; was it not to join the Home Guard and be ready to defend the country. No one could afford to risk invasion.

Mr D. Taylor, Southbridge, said that all knew that the British Empire was fighting for its very existence. It was up to every man in the country to do what he could to help to defend it. In New Zealand people went about* their usual work, sports and pastimes and enjoyed themselves in their usual way. They were not feeling the effects of the war. He declared that every man should do what he could to help the country and one of these ways was to join the Home Guard—not to leave it to the other fellow. It was every man's duty to do so. He had heard many absurd excuses from men who had not joined up, but there should be no excuses. He said that the Southbridge and Leeston units would assist Lakeside with their training in any way possible. Mr H. D. Jones (Leeston) endorsed all ithat the previous speakers had said. He referred to the inscription over the hall, "Joy, Peace and Plenty," and remarked that while that summed up the position in New Zealand today, there were other countries under the heel of the invaders where it was not so. He added that he would be very sorry to lose the Lakeside men from the Leeston unit. There were 12 men from the district who were on the-roll and they were very keen on their work. This was shown last Tuesday evening, when despite the very wet night 11 out of the 12 were on parade. That was the spirit which he liked to see in the Home Guard. If Lakeside formed a platoon it would have the support of the Leeston and Southbridge officers and non-commissioned officers, who would help in any way possible. In supporting the appeal for more recruits, he said that the people in New Zealand could not let down the men who had gone overseas; they oould not let Great Britain down. New Zealand stood or fell with that nation. New Zealand men had a duty to perform at home and they should do it without any more delay. Mr Jones suggested that if it was not found possible to form a platoon for Lakeside-Sedge-men, the, men who enrolled should join up with either Leeston or Southbridge, whichever unit was nearer. There were some good men already enrolled in Lakeside. He also spoke of the enthusiasm of the men from Lakeside who were in the

ambulance section and said that he was sure satisfactory arrangements could be made for them to continue the training if a Lakeside platoon were formed.

In reply to questions it was mentioned that while men were required to be .reasonably fit for service in the Home Guard, all men were urged to join up for eventually a job within his physical capabilities would be found for every man. Mr G. Nairn said that the Lakeside men who were already in the Home Guard did not find it difficult to attend parades at Leeston and be home again by 9.15 p.m. He thought that it would be better to join up with Leeston rather than form a separate platoon, for he could see the time when there would be only men who were above military .age who would be available for service. He spoke of the work being done by the ambulance section and said that the Lakeside men desired to continue this instruction. Replying to a suggestion that decision should be deferred until .after a meeting had been held at Sedg£ mere, Mr Jones said that he would not like to see this matter postponed. The Leeston unit had lost [ a large number of men recently, due to the formation of other platoons and for special purposes. He wanted to see the end of these transfers so that he could organise the remainder and begin again to build up the strength. Daylight parades would commence next month and he wanted to be ready for them. Mr McLaughlin explained that Home Guard units were expected to put in eight hours training each month, in two afternoon parades of three hours each and the rest of the time made up of evening parades. He was sure that every employer would assist by allowing guardsmen leave to attend the daylight parades. He realised the daily or hourly worker would be the •hardest hit. As no Sedgemere men were present at the meeting it was suggested that one should be held there as soon as possible and the chairman of the Home Guard Committee agreed that it was advisable to do so. With .the extent of the assistance from Sedgemere known, the prospect of forming a platoon could be judged. Mr McLaughlin said that an average attendance of 27 infantrymen would be desirable. Mr F. Alexander said that he considered that a platoon could be formed from Lakeside-Sedgemere, but he did not think the district had been sufficiently canvassed. After some discussion it was agreed that the Lakeside men in the ambulance section should continue to go to Leeston for their instruction. They would, however, be on the Lakeside roll and one of the men would be made responsible for keeping and marking the register. It was pointed out by Mr McLaughlin that if a unit were formed in the district, it was desirable for all guardsmen in that locality to belong ito it. Mr Whisker seconded the motion which was carried unanimously. After the meeting several enrolments were made and it was agreed to call the first parade for next Monday evening. SOUTHBRIDGE For last night's parade of the Southbridge Home Guard another visit was paid by three instructors from Burnham Military Camp, who brought with them three Bren guns. Again the instruction given proved most interesting. The attendance at the parade was, however, disappointing. It has been decided to hold the daylight half-day parades on the first and third Sunday in each month from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. LEESTON UNIT The Leeston unit will parade as usual this evening. An address on resuscitation will be given by Mr W. H. Cartwright.