TERRITORIALS.

Evening Star, Issue 17327, 15 April 1920, Page 2

TERRITORIALS.

[By Skirmisher.} Stems of interest concerning Corps (Town and Country), shooting and' Territorial notes generally will be accepted. Copy, addressed to “Skirmisher," should be ft hand not later than-Monday mornisp. . The period of command of the undermentioned officers commanding regiments is extended:—Major John Gilldson, 7th (Southland) Mounted Rifles; Lieutenant colonel R. R. Grigor, 12th (Otago) Mounted' , Rifles; ’Major F- J- Williams, Corps of N.Z. Engineers, No. 2 Field Company ; Lieutenant-colonel J. H. Moir, 10th (North Otago) Regiment. Lieutenant-colonel G. W. C. Mac Donald is to command the brigade of the 6th Mounted Rifles (Otago Hussars), with Captain Robert F. Mitchell, M.C., in command of the regiment. Major (lieutenant-colonel, reserve of officers, temporary) N. S. Falla, C.M.G., D*.S.O., B Battery, is promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and is given command 'of the Otago Field Artillery Brigade. Lieutenant-colonel Thos. Chalmer (’!)) relinquishes the command Otago Field Artillery Brigade, and is posted to the retired list under the provisions of paragraph 126, General Regulations. 1915, with permission to retain his rank and wear the prescribed uniform. Lieutenant (major, reserve of officers, temporary) G. H. Ferguson is promoted to the rank of major, with command of No. 2 (Otago) Divisional Signal Company. Major Wm. Fleming is to command the 4th (Otago) Regiment. Lieutenant-colonel (temporary brigadiergeneral, reserve of officers) A. K. Stewart-, 14th (South Otago) Regiment, is to be colonel in command Otago Infantry Brigade, to take the place of Coloner Ev R. Smith. V.D., who relinquishes the command, and is posted to the retired list, with permission to retain Ms rank and wear the prescribed uniform. Major (lieutenant-colonel, reserve of officers, temporary) D. Coiquhonn, D.5.0., is promoted to the rank of lieutenantcolonel in command of the 14th (South Otago) RegimentLieutenant (lieutenant-colonel, reserve of officers, temporary) J. Hargcst. D.5.0.. 7\1,C., is transferred from the 7th to the Bth (Southland) Mounted Rifles to command the regiment with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. Colonel Joseph Co wi e-Nichols, C.8.F.... A.D.C. CD), relinquishes the command Otago Mounted Rifle Brigade, and is posted to the 1 retired list under General Regulations. 1915. with permission to retain his rank and wear the prescribed uniform. Lieutenant-colonels J. M‘Ara, 4th (Otago) Regiment, and Lieutenant-colonel G. Mitchell, D.5.0., Bth (Southland) Regiment, arc nested to the retired list under General Regulations, 1915. with permission to retain their rank and wear the prescribed uniform.

In recording the retirement from, active Territorial service of so many tried officers, whose places are being taken by the promotion of -younger officers who in every case have seen service overseas, it might be well to quote the paragraph in General Peculations under which these officers relinquish their commands. It is as follows:—“ Officers of the Military Forces, after completing 15 years’ commissioned sendee, may be retired with permission to retain their rank and wear the prescribed uniform. Such officers will be placed on the retired list, which will be published in the New Zealand Army List. Officers on the retired list will have no liability for service and no further connection with the Military Forces.” It will be seen from the above that all the officers mentioned here as retiring have done 15 years’ good and faithful service in rank in the-Territorial Forces, and, indeed, most of them have served longer than the period, set down. In giving place to younger men coming fresh from the fields of activity with the latest up-to-date methods and valuable experience gained in France ; and elsewhere these retiring officers will enjoy their well-earned rest, and will watch with interest the development of the Territorial Forces in which

thev have seved so long and well. :*r. The -training of Territorial companies - for the year drawing to a close has been

in a measure,, somewhat restricted in view

of the reorganisation which is taking ■ -place. Everyone is waiting anxiously to hear what the Government’s new scheme is going to be. It is hoped that some, de- . finite pronouncement will be made shortly and the new system ready to bring into operation frcm June 1. It is not anticipated that the Cadet training will be much altered from the present scheme, which is working admirably. ■ In view of the approaching visit ot His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales some companies? are devoting their time to rifle and ceremonial drills, and I do hope that officers commanding units and companies will see to it that their commands are well brushed up, so that the military parades may be carried out with the snap and smartness which the occasion demands. The New Zealand Forces’ Motor Service Corps have been disbanded, and in consequence a general order setting forth “special instructions as to the examination of officers” has been cancelled. Lieutenant-colonel J. M‘Ara, 4th (Otago) Regiment, .has been awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces officers’ decoration. By a proclamation dated February 20. 1920, and published in the New Zealand ‘Gazette Extraordinary,’ dated February 23. 1320, it ha« been proclaimed that January _ 10,_ 1920, shall be the date of the termination of the war with Germany, and that for purposes of' all Acts passed since August 4, 1914, and referring to the duration or termination of the wav, the war shall be deemed to have come to an end on the said January 10. 1920. General Orders just issued for March the following relating to rank of Expeditionary Force officers on absorp- ' tion into the New Zealand Permanent and Territorial Forces;—“ Some,, misunderstanding has arisen as to whether the ranks held by officers in the New Zealand ‘Expeditionary Force were substantive or otherwise. It is notified for the informa- ' tion of all concerned that all commissions granted in the N.Z.E.F., though substantive with that Force, were temporary in respect to the New Zealand Permanent or ■’ - Territorial Forces in general. The Expedi- : tionary Force being a transitory organisai ... tion superimposed upon and additional '- ito the normal and authorised establishtnent the New Zealand Permanent and Territorial Forces, it is obviously impossible to absorb the manv officers who passed through the E.F. into Permanent V or Territorial units, and at the same time

to preserve the highest rank they attained * in the E.F. This applies more particularly to the New Zealand Permanent Force the authorised establishment of which is necessarily 'a very limited one. Officers of the Permanent services hare in many cases attained to high rank in the K.Z.E.F , and it is obviously impossible io absorb these officers in such ranks into an establishment designed to fulfil, and limited by entirely different functions. Officers so situated must be content to revert to lower permanent rank on absorption into the’Permanent Force, the only possible alternative which can be offered them being transfer to the reserve of officers or retired list. On demobilise Mon of the N.Z.E.P. officers who are not members of the Permanent service mav •elect to do one of three things. Firstly, they may he absorbed into the active list of the Territorial Force, in which case they must assume the rank and seniority which they may be appointed in that Force without reference to the rank and seniority they have held in the N.Z.E.F. * ; ■ but on subsequent transfer to the reserve or retired list will be credited with the highest rank they have held for six months in. the New Zealand. Expeditionary Perce or New Zealand Military Force* - Secondly, they may be posted to the reserve list, in which case they-will be *o • posted in the highest rank they have held for not less than six months in the i. N.Z.E.F. or N.Z.M.F. They will be under the obligation of reverting to thmr '■ rank 'rnd seniority in the active list of : the Territorial Force should they be ■ ‘called , to serve therein. Thirdly, they may be posted to the retired ‘list, in -'i--ty:bich case,;.they will retain the’ highest * they hayg told fgr net Jess thas six

months in the N.Z.E.F. or the Territorial Force. The same principle will apply generally to non-commissioned officers; but they "will, whenever possible, be posted to the Territorial Force with the rank they held in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. It is naturally desired that as many officers and non-com-missioned officers ‘of the N.Z.E.F. as possible should join the active ranks of the Territorial Force in order'- to bring thereto the great benefit of their practical knowledge and experience.”