BRITAIN’S HOME GUARD

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 May 1942, Page 6

BRITAIN’S HOME GUARD

KING AS COLONEL-IN-CHIEF.

•RUGBY, May 13. The King has honoured the Home Guard on the occasion of its second anniversary, by assuming the appointment of Colonel-in-Chief of the force. The following message from His Majesty has been issued as a special Army order: “The second year in the life of the Home Guard, which ends to-day, has been one of marked continuous progress. 1 watched with satisfaction the growing efliciency ol the force in training, equipment, and co-operation with the Regular Army, as well as the civil defence services. Many original volunteers by now have unavoidably left the Home Guard and many have joined the Regular Forces. They leave behind them a great tradition oE service and comradeship which will inspire the new recruits ‘ now enrolling for the defence of their country. They will spare no effort to make themselves ever more ready for battle. In order to mark my appreciation of the services given by the Home Guard, with cuch devotion and perseverance, I today assumed the appointment of Col-onel-in-Chief of the force, and I send my best wishes to all its members. It will be recalled that the inaugural ion of the Home Guard, under the original title of Local Defence Vc'unteers, was made in a dramatic broadcast by Mr. Eden, then Minister of V/f.r.

FIREMEN’S NEW TASK.

RUGBY, May 12.

Working two shifts in 24 hours the entire fire brigade at a large Ministry of Supply factory are assembling rifles instead of waiting for the sound of the fire alarm. Benches and tools have been installed in the fire station, besides engines and fire-fighting apparatus. Under the eyes of skilled artisans the firemen are doing two war jobs in one. When a test alarm was sounded the workers dropped their files and hammers and swung round to the engines and hoses. The change-over from factory workers to firemen took three seconds. The firemen underwent three weeks’ training beside skilled workmen in the factory. They have proved extraordinarily quick and adaptable. CANADIANS’ ARRIVAL. -RUGBY, May 13. Further Canadian Army reinforcements arrived safely in Britain. Virtually all branches of the service were represented, including infantry, artillery, medical, ordnance, and armoured units. The convoy also brought to Britain hundreds of airmen.

AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION

RUGBY, May 13

Broadcasting to-night, the Minister of Aircraft Production reviewed the progress made by the aircraft industry since the fall of France. He said that the.workers of Britain, despite the rigours of bombing, had provided the planes which the expanding needs of the Services demanded, so much so that in the past eight months we had been able to give substantial help to Russia in her hour of need. The numbers produced in recent months showed an immense increase over those in the early months of the Ministry, but, said Colonel Llewcllin, there was something else equally as important as quantity. He said that the present types of Spitfires and Hurricanes bore little resemblance to those which won fame two years ago. They can fly faster, and higher, carry a greater weight of gunpower, and are better armed. No? were these the only types of fighter in the R.A.F. service. There were others, some of which were already in production. Some were still being developed, which will ensure aircraft will remain superior to those they will be up against. The latest bombers were also greatly superior to the earlier types. They are the ones that drop the really big bombs. Not only were the R.A.F.’s aircraft of the highest quality in the offensive, but also in the defensive. The Minister disclosed that, of hundreds of. thousands now working in the aircraft industry, the majority are women.