HOME DEFENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 148, 25 June 1938, Page 9

HOME DEFENCE

SUPPORT OFFERED

BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVES

VISIT TO FORTS AND CAMF

Many of the business men of today , were the citizen soldiers of twentyyears ago, and it is probable that the majority of them still think of service in the army as monotonous hours spent in forming fours, marches, and rifle drill; they know little of the changes that have been brought by mechanisation or of the work that goes on behind the parade ground. Yesterday a small but representative group from the business community of Wellington—all members of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce— were the guests of Major-General J. E. Duigan, C.8., D.5.0., and his staff for the day, and were given an insight into some of the things that are new in the defence system of today, and will be able to pass on the knowledge I so gained to their business associates. During the day General Duigan told his guesta that the volunteer system could not succeed without the cooperation of the community, and more particularly the help of employers of young men who are needed in the Territorial Army, and the members of the Chamber of Commerce were taken for a tour of the forts and Trentham Camp to help them appreciate the need for that co-operation. i The party consisted of Mr. P. E. Pattrick (president of the chamber), Captain S. Holm (vice-president), Messrs. A. L. Wall, H. H. Nash, V. Macpherson Jones, P. Wilson, E. Sheed, W. A. Woodgen, W. I. J. Blyth, S. Cory Wright, M. G. C. McCaul, and B. M. Bardsley (secretary). They assembled at Fort Dorset at 10 a.m., and from then onwards their tour of the defence system of Wellington was carried out with the precision for which the Army is famous.

TRAINING AT FORT. First, the fort batteries were inspected and then a visit was paid to the anti-aircraft park, where the men of the special Territorial reserve at present in training at the fort were drilling on the barrack square. The men were practising the ceremonial marching and rifle drill for the opening of Parliament next week, and the new public-address unit was used to give the orders. After the detector apparatus that is used to locate, hostile aeroplanes had been tested by the visitors, a move was made to the up-to-date barracks of the; fort, where morning tea was served. A car ride around the coast soon brought the party to the next point of interest—Palmer Head, where an important unit of Wellington's little-advertised defences is situated. The 6-inch batteries were examined with interest, the magnificent magazines were visited, and the visitors learned a number of things about defenceshat are never broadcast Comments made' at Palmer Head showed that the visitors already realised the. need for men to man a system of defences that provide a much greater security than they had imagined existed, and a pleasant car run to TrentKam Camp brought still more surprises. At the camp the re-

turned soldiers in the party found the bare walls and rafters of the war years lined and painted and, although some of the' Territorials in camp were-prac-tising semaphore signalling,-the com-paratively-primitive methods of twenty years ago were made antiquated by the use of radio telephones capable of sending messages for several miles. Work on the machtaegun range had not altered, however, "and almost-forgotten training came tOi the surface again when some of the! visitors tried a shot at the targets. PHYSICAL EXERCISES.

One major change in training methods that interested the visitors was the instruction in physical drill. A company of Air Force recruits was at work in the gymnasium when it was visited and a full fifteen minutes was spent there. The former form in line, into open order march, and braced muscles at every movement were all gone. The recruits ran into a careless open formation and set to work, and it was at once apparent that nothing had been lost by dropping the former preliminaries. The young men all looked exceedingly fit and perform- ] ed the evolutions of their "P.T." without apparent effort As soon as they were properly warmed up they broke! off into four squads; one to climb ropes, another. ; to stretch arm and chest muscles at the horizontal bar, another to the vaulting "horse," and the fourth to a mat where rolling somersaults limbered up all muscles at once.

Next a visit was paid to the anti-

gas school, where the returned soldiers pronounced the gas masks a great improvement on those, of the war years, and a recruit in a decontamination kit demonstrated the latest thing/in war-tune dress. A quick run through the ordnance stores provided a glimpse at folding boats and pontoons, renovated uniforms, field guns under overhaul, and the beautiful precision work of the men responsible for the accurate working of the many complicated instruments used by modern defence forces. The tour of inspection concluded with afternoon tea in the Y.M.GA. recreation hall.

The inspection of the camp was interrupted for lunch in the officers' mess and/While a cup of coffee was being enjoyed the relation between business and safe defence was discussed. CO-OPERATION ASKED. General Duigan explained that the young men seen in training at Fort Dorset and • Trentham were recruits to the special Territorial reserve who were given three months' intensive training. It had been found that three months were required to teach the men enough to make them useful members of the home defence force and they would not be allowed to forget what they had learned. Refresher courses would be provided at regular intervals and if the defence system was to be a success the co-operation of the employers of these young men would have to be secured. It was not fair to say the voluntary system had failed before it was given a fair trial but the community would have to realise that it could not be a complete success unless the Defence Department secured the co-operation of all concerned. Mr. Pattrick thanked General Duigan and his staff for giving members of the Chamber of Commerce an opportunity to see what was being done for home defence. The business community realised the need of adequate defence, he said, and they were glad to know of the action that was being taken. General Duigan had asked for co-operation and he felt sure ■ that would be forthcoming. If the young men of the country would play : their part their employers could also : help by making provision for attend- 1 ance at camps. PRACTICAL HELP. Major G. H. Clifton, M.C., said that ! several .business firms had already of- > fered co-operation and only that morn- i ing Major E. H. Whiting, publicity offi- ] cer for the Territorial Force, had en- < jelled fourteen jroung men from one 1

city staff. He had been given an opportunity to address the young men of military age working for the D.LC. and the that firm had explained that members of the staff would be given every facility to attend camps and refresher courses. As a result fourteen had volunteered for service in the various units. Other, firms had offered to help in a similar way, and if all business concerns would co-oper-1 ate a great deal could be done.

Major Whiting appealed to the visitors to help in a practical .way. No one desired war, he said, but everyone realised that precautions had to be taken against aggression. A number of them had helped to guard their country during the Great War. They were now too old to go on active vice and had to look to the young men of today to protect their wives and children, but they could help the young men to do that If they all worked towards that end they would be repaid by the greater security that would be provided.