HOME GUARD

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 December 1943, Page 3

HOME GUARD

NO FURTHER TRAINING WELLINGTON, December 12. Announcing the War Cabinet’s decision for the reduction ot the home defence army on July 28, the . Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) stated that tne Home Guard was to be allotted a reserve role and required to perform a day’s training each quarter. To-day the Minister of Defence (Mr Jones) said that the War Cabinet had reviewed the position of the Home Guard and, because of the improved situation in the Pacific and the necessity for interfering as little as possible with civilian work, especially in the country districts during the coming busy season, it had been decided that the Home Guard (which includes the Defence Engineer Service Corps, Lines of Communication Companies, Signals, and Mechanical Transport) should be placed on the reserve. Home Guardsmen will remain liable for service, but they will not be called upon to resume training or service unless a change in the military situation demands it. This change will take effect from January 1 1944, and in the meantime no further parades will be held, except those found necessary by battalion and other commanders for the purpose of calling in arms, equipment, and uniforms now on issue to individual Home Guardsmen. Mr Jones said Home Guardsmen would be allowed to retain the boots issued to them, but all other articles were to be returned under arrangements to be made by unit commanders. He said some Home Guardsmen had become liable for training in the Territorial Force, and these men would be required to return their arms and equipment but not their uniforms. “I wish to place on record,” said Mr Jones, “the deep appreciation of the War Cabinet of the great service rendered to the country by the officers and men of the Home Guard, and in doing so I wish to include all those who were responsible for the inauguration of the Home Guard. It will be remembered that the Home Guard was in the first instance the responsibility of Mr Semple, who was then Minister of National Service, who was ably supported and assisted by the Associate Minister (Mr Wilson), the .Director of National Service (Mr Hunter) and committees formed by local bodies throughout the Dominion. To all these gentlemen, to Brigadier Young, who held the post of Director-General throughout and has just recently retired, to his district and group directors, and also to the directors of the Defence Engineer Service Corps (Colonel Newnham), signals (Colonel J. G. Young), and the lines of communication, mechanical transport (Colonel Laurensori), I tender the thanks of the Government.”