HOME GUARD UNITS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20631, 12 August 1941, Page 4

HOME GUARD UNITS

PARADES FOR THE WEEK TWO COMPANIES TO SHOOT All units of the Gisborne Borough Battalion. Home Guard, will parade at least once during the current week, and a majority will hold two musters. The syllabus for the week will include 1 lectures on subjects which figured largely in the recent minor tactics course in Palmerston North, weapon training, fieldcraft and range practice for the combat units; and specialist work by other sections. The range shoots this week-end will be for C and E Companies which have not hitherto visited the butts. Details of the week’s fixtures are as under: — Wednesday, August 13. —A Company, at Wiliams and Kettle's woolstore, at 7.30 p.m.; B Company, at Dalgety and Company’s woolstore, at 7.30 p.m.; E Company, at Sargood’s buildings, -at 7.30 p.m.; Engineers’ Company, at Intermediate School, at 7.30 p.m.; Medical Section, at Gisborne Central School, at 7.30 p.m.; Signals Section, at High School, at 7.30 p.m.; Motorcycle Platoon, at New Zealand Insurance buildings, 7 p.m.; Bowser Section, at Gisborne Sheepfarmers’ store, at 7.30 p.m.; Home Guard Band, at R.S.A. rooms, at 7.30 p.m. Saturday. August 16. —C Company, at High School miniature range, at 2 p.m. Sunday, August 17.—E Company, at Mangapapa range, at 9.30 a.m.; Engineers’ Company, at Waikanae Beach, near gaol, at 9 a.m. (if wet, at Bignell and Holmes’ garage); Signals, Motorcycle and and Medical Sections, at Childers Road Reserve, at 9 a.m.; D Company, at Allen Bros and Johnstone’s garage, at 9 a.m. Special Course Series In connection with the absorption of the Home Guard by the army command, an undertaking was given that courses of instruction for Home Guard officers and non-commissioned officers would be organised on a more liberal scale at the army schools of instruction. During this week officers and N.C.O.s of the Gisborne Battalion, and likewise of the Cook County, Waikohu and East Coast formations, will have the opportunity of taking up two courses, while provision is made also for further special training throughout the August - October quarter. Non-commissioned officers are to be nominated this week for a course on .light 1 machine-guns, from August 15 to 24; and over the same period officer nominees will be trained in minor tactics. From August 29 to September 7, a weapon-training course for officers and N.C.O.s alike will be instituted, and from September 12 to 21, field engineering instruction will be available also for officers and noncommissioned officers. A further minor tactics course is set down for September 26 —October 5, for officers only; and from October 10 to 19 another weapon-training course will be held.

Travel warrants and accommodation will be provided to those undertaking the courses, but trainees will not be paid for the time they spend in camp, according to present instructions. In the normal course, eacn sub-area will be permitted to send one officer or non-commissioned officer to each course, but a reserve list will be established in the Gisborne Battalion, in case vacancies occur as in the series of courses just completed.