UP TO 70,000 MEN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20490, 26 February 1941, Page 11

UP TO 70,000 MEN

THE HOME GUARD ENTHUSIASM OF, UNITS ADVICE ON TRAINING DOMINION COMMANDER (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. One impression formed by MajorGeneral R. Young as a result of recent inspections of units of the Home Guard, of which he is Dominion commander, is that the men in some areas are all for it. Particularly was that the case, he felt, with miners on the West Coast whom he had just visited. From his observations generally, he said that throughout the country the Home Guard and its functions in strengthening New Zealand’s defensive campaign were being treated with the seriousness they deserved. Units were being well organised and were just beginning to get away from the barrack square. His advice to them had been stressing the importance of getting on to rifles and hand grenades, the sighting of trenches, camouflage from the air, and other important aspects of training beyond the elementary squad drill. Limiting the Enemy It' was imperative that in the event of an invasion the enemy must be kept to as limited an area as possible, and in that there was valuable work lor the Home Guard to do. The blocking of roads and even demolitions served as an effective means of checking an invader, and it is Major-General Young’s desire that the Home Guard should become thoroughly acquainted with such work as well as with the areas in which units might be called upon to operate. Thoroughness in observation was also essential. He pointed out that even though all did not have a rifle, every man could be taught its use if some were available in ope place. He said that arrangements had been made for the making of dummy grenades.

The enlistments, he said, were goin up, and by the end of this month th strength would be 70,000.

of the West Coast, he said he was greatly impressed by the parades at Denniston, Hokitika ana other places. He saw 15 parades in a week and, in some cases, the men had turned out in pouring rain and wanted to carry on despite the conditions.