100,000 Home Guards Not Enough

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 99, 28 April 1941, Page 4

100,000 Home Guards Not Enough

War Much Nearer Our Shores GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S WARNING AND APPEAL Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, April 27. While stating that there had been a wonderful response, especially iu the * country districts, to the apyeal for i volunteers for the Home Guard, the [Governor-General (Sir Cyril Newatl) Iwhen addressing the Home Guard [parade at the Domain, said the total Dominion enrolment of about 100,000 men was not enough. The war which had been far away had come much nearer in the past few months and the Empire was in jeopardy. His Excellency* said: “But if we all play our parts we will win this fight for freedom.” His Excellency told the guardsmen that they were trainin' themselves to become fit to carry out a most important work for the defence of their country. He had seen the Home Guard in action in England and it had done wonderful work. Now it was recognised as an essential part of the de fence of the motherland. Guardsmen in Britain had taken over many duties which would otherwise have had to be performed by regular soldiers and thus thousands of men had been released for active service. I Should the invasion of England be attempted the Home Guard would play a vitally important part and the local knowledge of guardsmen would be of inestimable value. “The Army at Home is wise to this and is giving it the greatest help,” he said. His Excellency said he knew that the present shortage of equipment made things difficult, but he also knew that | guardsmen would realise that the first two lines of defence would have to be equipped first. “I am glad to see a number of exservicemen on pftrade, but there are a lot more who are not in the Home Guard.” His Excellency said the exjperience of such men was invaluable. Those who were too young for the last war and too old for this also had a wonderful chance of service. “It is no use waiting for the attack to arrive,” he added. “ All available men should start training and do their bit now. That, also applies to those not already called up.”