THE END OF THE WAR

Evening Star, Issue 16991, 13 March 1919, Page 8

THE END OF THE WAR

PROCESS OF DEMOBILISATION

£Pck United Pazss Association.]

WELLINGTON, March 12. Under date March 4 the Official War Correspondent states: — The demobilisation proceeds apace, and the disbandment of the following units has been completed :—The First, Second, and Third Brigade, and Headquarters Divisional Ammunition Column; Nos. 2 and 3 Field Comuanies; Nos. 1 and 3 Companies Divisional ‘Train; Nos. 1 and 3 Companies Field Ambulance, and Mobile Veterinary Section; Nos.. 1, 2. and 3 Light' Trench Mortar Batteries, Artillery Brigade, and Signal The following are the luuta now remaining : ’ Divisional Head quarters. Signal Company, Headquarters Engineers,' No. 1 Field Company, Headquarters Field Company, Headquarters Divisional Train, Headquarters Company, and No. 2 Company Divisional Tram, No 2 Field Ambulance and one company of the Machine Gun; North Island Battalion (Lieutenant-colonel Turnbull); South Island Battalion (Lieutenant-colonel Stitt); Rifle Brigade Battalion (Lioiitenant-coloiiel Jardine). . . The 200 artillery men remaining are at Teutz. opposite Cologne, and the rest of the division are now concentrated at Mulheirn, a few miles further north. AH arc comfortably quartered, mostly in German houses. _ . . AH animals excepting a. few awaiting shipment to New Zealand has been disposed of. Throe thousand were sent to Dieppe and Rouen for shipment to Eneland. 200 wore evacuated sick, and 36C were killed locally for meat. Permission was obtained for' the men accompanying the animals to the base to be demobilised there, by which means 600 of all ranks were cleared. Practically all vehicles, harness, sad tilery, and ordnance equipment has already been, handed in in good order. To-day another draft will head for home, reducing the strength below 1,000. The re maining artillery will leave on the 18th, and the draft on the 25th should see us practically all clear from Germany. The Artillery' and Rifle Brigade Bauds are still with ns. others having been despatched, the last of theatrical companies proceeding to Paris, and will not return here. The demobilisation from this end has proceeded smoothly, and the conduct dur ing the occupation of Gorman territory has bo'eu good, there being very few complaints, and those not of a serious nature. Most nt the equipment purchased in England for the recreational scheme has been disposed of, and the remainder will be purchased by the V.M.C.A.. and the soda water plant and other oddments have been sold. The historic printing press which has done such excellent work both in the battle zone and in Germany will be retained for the museum.