SPECIAL BADGE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20262, 1 June 1940, Page 6

SPECIAL BADGE

RECRUITS FOR FORCES DISCHARGED VOLUNTEERS ISSUE AUTHORISED MINISTER'S STATEMENT (Per Press AssociationJ WELLINGTON, this day. Emergency regulations to authorise the issue of a special enlistment badge to persons volunteering for service in the armed forces, had been published in the Gazette last night, said the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones in a statement. The regulations provide that a badge may be issued to’ men who have been honourably discharged from His Majesty’s naval or air forces or the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force or have been accepted or provisionally accepted, but whose service has not commenced or has been temporarily suspended and those who volunteered for service and'had been rejected because they are not up to the medical standard of fitness required, Only men within the age categories laid down for each service and who are not suffering from some obvious physical or mental defect would be considered as qualified to receive the badge. At all times the badges will remain the property of the Crown and must be returned at the expiry of the period noted in the certificates or. if no such time is notified, then on the death of the holder or when notification of recall is received from the issuing authority. Symbol of Volunteer The design of the badge, which will be tiie Crown copyright, consists of a “V" symbolic of the fact the man has volunteered. Through this a fern leaf is interwoven and the “V” is surmounted by a crown. The badge will be worn in the lapel of the coat. With every badge a certificate will be issued which must be carried at all times when the man is wearing his badge. A police officer or officer of the naval, military or air forces in uniform will be entitled to ask the badge wearer to produce his certificate. and all badges and the certificate will bear corresponding numbers. Severe penalties are provided for unlawful wearing or illegal manufacture or sale or possession of the badges, on which a most careful check will be kept. Many Qualified “Already there are many men qualified to wear the badge,” said the Minister, “and requests for them should be made to the army, navy or air force authorities concerned. The badges will not be issued to those medically rejected for either flying or non-flying sections of the air force who are eligible for service with th<Second Expeditionary Force. “As supplies of badges come to hand,” said Mr. Jones, “arrangements will be made to issue every man with a badge at once, and I would therefore appeal to the men to be patient. I am sure the badge will be welcomed by volunteers and the public alike and will be recognised as an earnest of the fact that the man wearing i 1 has offered himself in the. service of his country.” country.”