ONE DIVISION NOW

Grey River Argus, 22 September 1944, Page 5

ONE DIVISION NOW

. SIZE OF N.Z.E.F. Reduction Announced P.A. WELLINGTON, Sept. 21 An announcement that New Zealand will no longer maintain two Divisions and that the men of the Third Division will b e used to reinforce and replace long service men in the Second Division, was made in tne House of Representatives to-night oy I the Prime Minister. Mr. Fraser also I announced that General Freyberg . was making a good recovery from i his injuries and would be returning .to the Second Division in about a month. “As a result of the Quebec Conference, and of advice just received from Mr. Churchill,”-Mr Fraser said, “it is now possible to come to .a decision regarding the role of our armed forces in the remaining phases of the war against Germany and Japan and for a decision to be made regarding the disposition of New Zealand forces overseas. The War Cabinet had this question under continual examination, and it has also been subject to discussions with both the Bri* tish and American Chiefs of Staff as well as with Mr. Churchill. Since the beginning of the' year, it has been I agreed that New Zealand cannot I maintain two divisions overseas, ana, at the same time increase a production of foodstuffs and raw materials which are so urgently needed and are so essential for the United Kingdom and for Allied forces in the Pacific. In the light of the Quebec decisions, and in view of developments in Europe and the Pacific, it has been decided, therefore that the New Zealand land force at the present time, can be of the greatest use in Italy, and that the Second Division'should remain overseas until the conclusion of the Italian campaign after which its future role will again be examined. It may be necessary at a later stage to give consideration, to the question of making New Zealand land forces available in the war against Japan. Meanwhile, however, the personnel of the Third Division now in camp and those due to return to camp on the expiration of leave, will 1 be drafted to district mobilisation camps, where they will become available for posting to the Second" Division. Because of the developments and decisions to which I have referred, it is now possible to make arrangements for the introduction of a scheme for the replacement of Ipng service personnel in the Second Division. I discussed this question .with General Freyberg while I was Italy, and it has been thoroughly examined since, and details are now being worked out. The object of this scheme is progressively to relieve men who have been overseas for three years or more by others wno not so far have had the opportunity to serve, or who.have had only a short period overseas. Replacement drafts from New eZaland' will •' com.-’ prise in the first place, the men still remaining, in the Third Division^wno are fit and of the required age’..an cl domestic status, and Grade A men held on appeal, as soon as they, .can be released and all others liable for military service, including • men" from the Third Division temporarily , “rer I leased to industry earlier in the year,: who remain liable to be called, up for overseas service. The policy of re---placement will take the place Of the furlough scheme in future, and as men become available for sending overseas, various reinforcements will be returned in succession, and also men of the First, Second and Third Echelons who returned to the Middle East at the conclusion of their furlough. It must be made clear .that under the replacement scheme, men who are returned to New Zealand will be released from military service and directed into essential. in- . dustry. This direction is necessary so long as the war lasts for two reasons: Firstly, to enable a scheme substituting men in essential industry now held back from military service by men of similar skill who have returned from overseas; and secondly, to enable New Zealand to continue-to--produce’ foodstuffs and raw materials which are so essential a contribution „ to our own and the United Nations war effort.

CHANGES AT HEADQUARTERS

P.A WELLINGTON, Sept. 21 , Changes in two senior' .posts at > Army Headquarters are announced ■ by Hon. F. Jones. Brigadier H. B. .. Avery, C.8.E., C.M.G., D. 5.0., is now ; being seconded to act as Chairman of H the War Assets Realisation Board ;■ He has been Quartermaster General and a member of the Army Board since October, 1940. During that time he had been faced with a very . arduous task in arming,’ _ equipping, accommodating, feeding, and trans- , porting a large number of personnel ‘ required for the military forces, both , in New Zealand and overseas, said ?■ Mr. Jones. “He has performed the » task with zeal and efficiency, and has ; not spared himself in his devotion to Brigadier N. McD. Weir,. C.B.E. who recently returned from the Middle East, has been appointed; Quartermaster General and third . military member of the Army Board. Bridagier L. G. Goss, who has been serving in the Pacific, will fill the , post of Deputy Chief of the General Staff, which has been vacant since the return of Brigadier W. G. Gentry, D. 5.0., 0.8. E., to the Middle East.