MAN FOR MAN BASIS

Grey River Argus, 16 May 1946, Page 4

MAN FOR MAN BASIS

Relief of J Force

STATEMENT BY GENERAL WEIR

P.A. AUCKLAND, May 15. The relief of men serving with the British Commonwealth Forces of Cecupation in Japan will be carried out on a man for man basis and not on a unit system, stated Major-General McD. Weir, Chief of the General Staff, to-night. Although the first draft of men from New Zealand to replace those in Japan will have to leave very soon, there is still no definite sailing date.

The actual change-over would have to be on a man for man basis, said General Weir. This meant that a cook must be replaced by a cook, a mechanic by a mechanic and so on throughout the force. It was not just a case of bringing ■ back the whole unit and sending over a fresh one.

The first men back would be those who were to be discharged first, and the requirements of units in Japan therefore would govern the exact nature of the replacements to sail from New Zealand. In the first draft the officer - commanding the draft would be the senior officer among those it was found necessary to include.