ARMY EXERCISES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 90, 15 March 1941, Page 6

ARMY EXERCISES

SHORTAGE OF VEHICLES.

POSTPONED FOE WEEK,

Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, March 14. Because of the lack of motor transport the Army' to-night announced that extensive tactical exercises to be held in the area between Auckland and Whangarei next week have been cancelled. The exercises may be held in a week's time. Out of 597 motor lorries required from the northern military district for tlie operations only 72 were available at' a late hour to-night- A total of 308 motor-cycles was also needed, but the number in sight to-night was only 32.

The difficulties in securing transport have arisen from a last-minute change in the method of impressing vehicles and this involved a late substitution of a well-thought-out plan by one placing the impressment under the Transport Department. Thousands of Territorials from the Central and Northern Military districts were to have engaged in exercises. The troops were to come from all parts of the North Island and the concentration of force was to begin, early in the week as all units had I to be at their bivouac areas by Wednesday. That it might be necessary to put off the manoeuvres because of the transport problem was indicated earlier to-day by Brigadier Bell, officer commanding the Northern military district. He said there were some cases where vehicles had actually been delivered under the preliminary impressment arrangement but had been recovered by the owners when they discovered they had the right of appeal and moved successfully in that direction.

Brigadier Bell said at that stage that if the manoeuvres couid not be carried out next week the alternatives were to postpone them in the hope that the vehicles would become available or to arrange an entirely Jresh series of exercises. The second alternative would be most unfortunate not only because of the rearranged exercises would be without motor transport and consequently would not practice the troops in modern warfare, but also because of the enormous amount of preparatory work that had already been done.

That work, Brigadier Bell said, included the establishment of petrol dumps, the purchase and delivery of supplies and the engagement of buildings, some of which had been electrically wired. He pointed out that some of the smaller units had already leftWaiouru en route to the concentration areas using army transport vehicles which were of course to be supplemented by vehicles from civilian sources.