SECOND ECHELON

Grey River Argus, 16 January 1940, Page 5

SECOND ECHELON

THE COMMANDERS Col. Hargest Appointed [Per Press Association ] WELLINGTON, January 15. The Minister of Defence (Hon. 1. Jones) announced to-day the names of the commanding officers for the Second Echelon of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary J 1 orce, as fol Fifth Infantry Brigade: Colonel J. Hargest, M.P. . Twenty-first \ Auckland Battalion. Colonel Mackay* Twenty-second Wellington Battalion: L. W. Andrew. Twenty-third Canterbury-Otago Battalion: Lieut.-Colonel A. S. Falconer. . Twenty-eighth Maori Battalion. Major G. Dittmer. Fjfth Field Regiment, Ne„w Zealand Artillery: Lieut.-Colonei R. E. Sleigh. Seventh Anti-Tank Regiment, New Zealand Artillery: Major temporary) C. E. Weir. Seventh Field Company, New Zealand Engineers: Major (temporary; F. M. H. Hanson. Squadron Second New Zealand Divisional Cavalry Regiment: Major A. J. Nicoll.

RECRUITING FIGURES.

BIG ADVANCE LAST WEEK. [Per Press Association]. WELLINGTON, January 13. A substantial advance in enlistments throughout the Dominion for the Second Expeditionary Force took place during the week ended January 6, the latest date at which national returns are available. The. recruiting campaign had not by then, reached full force and its general results will not be known until complete returr/. for the current week are received. During the week referred to the I £tal increased from 18,858 to 20,541. 'lnese figures do not include enlistments m the Maori Battalion. At the end of the period the recruits had been clasified as. follows, the figures as at December 30 being shown in parenthesis: —Fit, 12,699 (11,480); temporarily unfit, 2576 (2527); permanently unfit 2146 (2071); engaged in reserved occupations and therefore not available, 1292 (1144); sent to camp, 8139 (8065); balance available for posting to camp, 3003 (2198). Details for the three military districts are as follows:—

Timber Workers Respond FOR SERVICE OVERSEAS. [Our Own Correspondent]. HOKITIKA, January 15. The response of West Coast tim-ber-workers for enlistment in the special company which will go overseas at an early date to undertake sawmilling work, has been most satisfactory, stated the Conservator of State Forests (Mr. F. W. Foster) today. To date, 23 men have offered their services in the Westland Conservation area, which excludes the Inangahua and Buller districts, men from which are required to lodge their applications with the State Forest Service, Nelson. Mr. Foster stated that all classes of timber workers were included in the enlistments, which were coming in at a steady rate.

FInlisted North. South. Cent. .. 7213 6897 6424 Fit .. 4515 4084 4095 Temp, unfit .. .. 834 704 1035 Perm, unfit .. 595 862 688 Res. occupations 508 416 367 Sent to camp .. .. 2832 2510 1800 Bal. available .. 968 1168 860