Horse To Disappear From NAMR.

Northern Advocate, 24 May 1939, Page 4

Horse To Disappear From NAMR.

The horse is to disappear from Northland military activities as a result of the defence re-organisation following the Prime Minister’s appeal on Monday night. The North Auckland Mounted Rifles are to be constituted a motorised Regiment, and steps to this effect arc to be undertaken immediately. The regiment now consists of 100 efficient Territorial soldiers, with a troop of 40 efficient motorised men, now drawn from between Waipu and Awanui, together with a full-strength lightcar troop at Whangarei. An expansion is planned to 14 officers and 236 other ranks. The whole force is to be motorised, and will include both a headquarters and a rifle squadron. It is proposed to recruit a motorised troop in Whangarei, for which 30 additional men will be required, while the existing light-car troop will be attached to headquarters squadron for intelligence, despatch and signalling duties, as well as other specialised I training.

Another Infantry Platoon. It is also proposed to recruit another infantry platoon in Whangaroi, and these men will be trained in the use of 1 rifles and light machine-guns, such as I Lewis and possibly the new Bren guns, j This will be additional to the present Whangarei machine-gun platoon, which has been trained in the use of Vickers machine-guns and now stands at a strength of about 40. In addition, Northland has bsan called on to find recruits for the New Zealand Regular Forces, for which applications close on June 3. These men. who will enter camp at Trentham on June 21 for a period of intensive training, will bo given permanent positions on the staff.

The total additions required to the Regular Forces is 115.

Special Reserve

A total of 250 men is also required tor the special reserve, under which heading men are being enlisted for a period of five months’ intensive training.

Under this heading S 3 men will be required from Northland, 50 of whom will be trained for coast artillery workat Narrow Neck army school of instruction. Auckland, and the remaining 33 in field artillery at Trentham, Wellington. In each case those men will bo given a thorough course of vocational training, in addition to their military instruction.