OFFICERS AND N.C.O.’S

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20260, 30 May 1940, Page 9

OFFICERS AND N.C.O.’S

NEW SELECTION METHOD N.Z.E.F. REINFORCEMENTS (Per Prosß Association.) WELLINGTON, this clay. A new method of selecting commissioned and non-commissioned officers for drafts of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force reinforcements to be trained in New Zealand subsequent to the Third Echelon now in camp, has been decided upon. It was explained by Lieutenant-Colonel E. M. Foster, Henceforth drafts entering camp for the fourth reinforcement and onwards will take with them a sufficient number in excess of the strength of the reinforcement to provide n.c.o.’s for the next reinforcement and commissioned officers for the next but one reinforcement. Lieutenant-Colonel Foster explained that the first and second reinforcements were trained with their respective echelons, and the third reinforcement was now in camp with the Third Echelon. The next body of recruits to be trained will therefore constitute the fourth reinforcement. At a date in June yet to be decided, additional personnel will be dispatched to the mobilisation camps to join the third reinforcement and provide the number of n.c.o.’s required for the fourth reinforcement. At the end of June battalion commanders will select from the third reinforcement, including the additional personnel, a sufficient number of men to provide the officers and n.c.o. s mentioned, and they will commence a course at the central district school of instruction. At the conclusion of that course the selection will be made of the men attend the next advanced training class to be trained as officers for the fifth reinforcement, and the remainder will be n.c.o.’s for the fourth reinforcement. A similar procedure will be adopted to provide officers and n.c.o.’s for all subsequent reinforcements.