LEAVE FROM CAMP

Evening Star, Issue 23749, 3 December 1940, Page 8

LEAVE FROM CAMP

ALL CAMPS DISPERSE DECEMBER 28 EARLIER DATE WOULD PREJUDICE TRAINING [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, December 3. All troops now in camp will disperse on December 28, according to a statement made by the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, in reply to a point raised by a correspondent in a letter to the editor of a Wellington paper. This, the Minister points out, will allow the men to reach their homes for the usual family reunions that take place during the Christmas and New Year.seasons. The Minister pointed out that the units of the Territorial Force now under training in camp were called up for three months from October 1, and therefore should remain in camp until December 31. If they wore released from the camps before Christmas the training period would be shortened, and this would, adversely affect the progressive training programme which culminates in brigade training. However, it had now been decided that all troops would disperse from the camps on December 28. The Minister also announced that arrangements had been made which it was expected would enable the medical examination of the majority of, the men receiving invalidity benefits or war disablement pensions who had been called up in the ballot to be dispensed with. A special medical board would examine the files of such men, and, except in special cases, their fitness for military service would be determined without their being examined. Pensioners who had not already been examined should advise the Army if) called for service.