FORCES OVERSEAS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21925, 21 January 1946, Page 4

FORCES OVERSEAS

NEW ZEALAND ARMY

14,000 BACK THIS MONTH

6000 STILL REMAIN

( P A ) WELLINGTON, Jan. 19. Only about 6000 army personnel will remain overseas by the end of January. This month’s total of men and women returning will be roughly 14,000. In announcing this, the Minister of Defence, Mr. F. Jones, said that at the end of the war in Europe the strength of the New Zealand military forces, ineluding Waacs, was 39,374 overseas and 16 000 in New Zealand. These * numbers had been reduced respectively to 20,494 and 8091 by the end of December.

“By the end of January a decrease of approximately 14,000 will be made in the troops remaining overseas,” Mr. Jones said. “So far approximately 6000 have returned and it is expected that a further 8000 will return by the end of the month. “Of the 6000 then remaining overseas, 4000 are going to Japan and the remaining 2000, with the exception of two or three hundred retained in the Middle East for winding-up the division, should be home by the end of February.” All these men would return to civilian life after their leave

Home service personnel had to be retained to handle the records of the men returning from overseas and a large number of buildings and a great quantity of equipment had to be maintained until disposed of, but reductions were being made as speedily as possible, said Mr. Jones

“By the end ot January 41,000 of the V.E-Day total of 55,000 will have been released from army service and further reductions are being expedited,” said Mr. Jones.

As most of the men would be home from the Middle East so soon no further mail should be sent, except to those who are going to Japan or those who have advised their correspondents that they were remaining with the final rear party. The Minister said that mail for the occupation force would continue to be forwarded to the Middle East until the force left for Japan.