FULL TRAINING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20140, 9 January 1940, Page 4

FULL TRAINING

MR. J. A. LEE’S PLEA

EARLY ENLISTMENT BEST SERVICE TO NATION “Those who are intending to enlist in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force should enlist now in their own and in their country’s interest,” said Mr. J. A. Lee, M.P., in a statement dealing with recruiting which he issued in Wellington. “The difficulties of transport might determine that a unit or two must proceed overseas partially trained with the understanding that training will be completed 4n some foreign theatre of war. “To every thinking citizen, and more particularly returned soldiers and recruits, it must be obvious that neither the nation nor the recruit should take the chance of anyone arriving at the theatre of war or some possible theatre unless the training has been as thorough as possible. War Emergencies

”In New Zealand we can assume training to the maximum extent possible with our local equipment. The only training we can safely leave to overseas is training in advanced equipment not possessed by New Zealand. New Zealand cannot afford to accept the most reliable assurance that training will be completed elsewhere, because in war emergencies occur which often demand the use of troops immediately upon disembarkation. During the Great War one partially trained unit was, I have been told, hurried through a reinforcement camp into action because of some; war emergency. The result was rather disastrous to New' Zealand life.

“The Empire is fighting a skilful, determined and well-trained as well as unscrupulous antagonist, and efficiency will have to be high if human life is not to be sacrificed. Everyone having close contact with MajorGeneral B. C. Freyberg must have been impressed by this fighter with a mind, and as far as overseas training can remedy New Zealand’s shortcomings the General can be expected to do the job. Safeguarding Life

“But to get men into camp in ample time so that our local staff can send almost fully instead of partially trained men is to safeguard New Zealand life against war emergencies beyond any general’s control. To give our staff a fair chance, the whole of the Second Echelon should be ready to go into camp together and at once. If men trickle in month by month there will be degrees of training and incompetence. Every intending recruit owes it to his nation, to the staff, to his mates to be, to his own chance of life, to arrive in camp as early as possible. The man who is halftrained endangers his mate’s life as well as his own. “I am convinced that men will be available in sufficient numbers for the Second Echelon. I will feel a doubt of the nation having done its duty if any man leaves New Zealand not’ completely trained to the efficiency possible through our local equipment. Best Chance of Survival “If enlistment is a slow process we may cheer men as they march, but we will wonder whether we have done everything possible to enable them to hit the target and emerge with their own lives. “If recruiting only gives us the numbers at a few days before embarkation time we will not have succeeded in giving the soldiers the best chance of. life,” Mr. Lee concluded. "It is up to us, and we can do more than call men heroes and tell them what we will do for them when they come back. The nation can get men sufficiently trained to give’them the best chance of survival and victory.”