DIVISION OFFICERS APPOINTED FOR NAVAL RESERVE

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 July 1947, Page 2

DIVISION OFFICERS APPOINTED FOR NAVAL RESERVE

(F.A.) WELLINGTON, July 11. The strength of the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve is to be increased to some 120 officers and 840 men, compared with 70 officers and 600 men before the war, said the Minister of Defence (Mr Junes) today, after a conference of senior Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve officers to discuss questions of post-war entry and service.

Mr Jones said that in addition to basic training in the four Royal New Zealand Naval Vounteer Reserve divisions in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, each division would be allotted a harbour defence motor-launch for local sea training, while annual training would be carried out in ships of the Royal New Zealand Navy. The training will be in seamanship, gunnery, and communications, with a small number of men receiving instruction in the engineering, medical, and supply and secretariat branches. It is hoped to train men later in radar and antisubmarine- work.

Recruiting will start in about three months, and, in addition to the new recruits, Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve men with war experience will be welcomed. The following officers have been appointed to commmand the four divisions: —

Auckland.—Commander J. G. Hilliard, D.S.C., V.D. Wellington.—Commander F. E. Taylor, D.S.C., V.D. Canterbury.—Commander S. W. Hicks, V.D. Otago.—Commander A. C. Swenson, V.D.