N.Z. TERRITORIALS

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 February 1939, Page 4

N.Z. TERRITORIALS

ORDERS FOR EQUIPMENT [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, February 2. •'During the last three years the Government has paid a. large amount of attention to modernising the equipment of the Territorial Force.” said the Minister for Defence (Hon. F. Jones) in an interview to-day. “Orders have been placed both in the United Kingdom and in Australia, for substantial quantities of new equipment. Delivery has. however, been held up. because of the prior claims of the British Army; but every effort has been made, by the. authorities in both countries Io complete our orders as expeditiously as possible. “1 am pleased to ’ say that a number of armoured machine-gun carriers are on the water and will arrive in New Zealand next month, and the first consignment of Bren light machine guns has already been received in Wellington. The armoured machinegun carrier is a specialised vehicle built on the same chassis as the British light tank, and is capable of speeds of 45 miles an hour on the road, and up to 30 miles an hour across country on good going. The body is an armoured box which provides protection for two gunners and a driver, and carries either a Bren light machinegun or a Vickers machine-gun.”

Mr. Jones said that from the point of view of territorial training, the arrival of these armoured vehicles was most, valuable and timely. They could be used not only for their normal role of transporting either infantry or mounted rifles and machinegunners when supporting an attack, but also for demonstrating to all units the cross-country performance and tactical methods of the light tank. It was proposed to stage demonstrations at all later annual camps of the Territorial units, and also for the public wherever facilities could be arranged. Of the Bren light machine-gun. Mr. Jones said: “This has been introduced in the British Army to replace the Lewis and Hotchkiss guns, both of which are still capable of good service, particularly’ under local conditions in New Zealand, but. these guns are definitely’ inferior to the Bren as regards simplicity of manipulation and mechanical reliability. Every opportunity will also be taken to demonstrate the new guns at all the annual camps, particularly of infantry and mounted rifles, the arms which are most concerned with this type of weapon. The provision of this modern equipment will, 1 feel sure, make the training of our voluntary units more interesting and more efficient, and I hope the maximum number of Territorials will be able to attend the annual camps of their units during the next two or three months, and benefit by seeing and. if possible, handling the new arms.”