HOME DEFENCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 265, 7 October 1940, Page 6

HOME DEFENCE

ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES ORGANISING LAND FORCES. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Oct. 6. Hon. F. Jones (Minister, for Hefence), in announcing important administrative changes in t'hp home defence units, said the Army was being placed on a footing hoth in organisation and training Ur facilita a smooth and rapid change-over, shorn mobilisation become necessary. 1 would be obvious that an orgamsatio suitable for peace conditions with a Territorial Force of 16,000 would not answer the demands which would d« placed upon it should an army or over 401000 be required to defend thes shores. The Government had theretoie decided that the commanders of more important formations and t'neir pn'. l ' cipal staff officers should hold tliei appointments in peace m order t enable them to study the various tactical and administrative problems ivrti which they might be faced in war. The officers concerned are.—Gpionei P. H. Bell, D. 5.0., to command the Ist (Northern) Division with headquarters at Auckland; Colonel 0. H. Mead, G.8.E., D. 5.0., to command the dra (Southland) Division with headquarters at Christchurch; Colonel N. WWeir to command the 2nd (Central) Division with headquarters at \V e “ l *V=" ton. These officers will be granted the temporary rank of brigadier. . Colonel It. A. Row, D. 5.0., is to command the Northern Field I orce. Colonel E. T. Rowlings is to command the Southern Field I-orce and Lieut - Colonel L. Potter from G.S.O. Northern District is to command the Central Field Force with me temporary rana of colonel. rv u w Lt.-Colonel A. E. Conway, 0.8. E., is to be Adjutant-General with tne temporary rank of colonel, Lt.-Colone L. G. Goss is to be colonel ot the General Staff with the temporary rank of colonel, Lt.-Colonel H. E. Avery, C.M.G., D. 5.0., is to he QuartermasterGeneral with t'he temporary rank oi colonel. a a The appointments will take ettect on October 14. The training of tne commanders and staffs will t>e carried ou progressively in each district, but as a first step in this direction a staff course is now being held. Hus will be followed shortly by a course lor commanders of formations and tnei staffs who have an opportunity ot putting the knowledge gained into practice at a later date when their formations will be assembled for brigade training. This training will be carried out in December and March when the units comprising these brigades will be at the end of their three months intensive training.