Home Guard Now Only Opportunity For Military Service

Northern Advocate, 19 November 1940, Page 8

Home Guard Now Only Opportunity For Military Service

[Per Press Association. Copyright .] WELLINGTON, This Day.

The Government has decided for present that no more class II units of the National Military Reserve will be formed, but that land forces should be supplemented by the formation of a Home Guard. In making this .announcement yesterday, the Minister for Defence (Mr Jones) said the Government periodically reviewed the Dominion’s requirements in armed forces', and quite recently the number of units of the National Military Reserve/ Class 11, had been increased and Independent Squadrons of Mounted Rifles bad also been added to the land forces. National Military Reserve units and Independent Mounted Rifle squadrons were considered of vital importance to the defence of the localities to which they had been allotted, but the coastline of New Zealand was a long one, and there were many places outside those localities at which landings might be made. Mr Jones recalled that the commander of the Home Guard, under the direction of’ the Minister for. National Service (Mr Semple) was now engaged in organising units of the Home Guard throughout New Zealand.

He added that he wished to emphasise the importance of all returned soldiers not enrolled in a recognised unit of the National Military Reserve offering their services to the Home Guard. It was just such men, who, by reason of their military experience, could provide instructors and leaders for the Home Guard units. Further, the Government did not intend to embody any additional unit in the National Military Reserve, and consequently, in future, the only opportunity for rendering such service would be in the Home Guard. Mr Jones outlined the various duties of Home Guard units, and urged all those in the National Military Reserve not already on the strength of any army unit to enrol now.

Mr Jones said that, although the Home Guard would not form part of the military forces at this stage, it was intended that, should it be found necessary during an emergency, units or sub-units of the Home Guard would be absorbed into the army. Meanwhile he hoped that the formation and organisation of the Home Guard would proceed rapidly and smoothly in order that the whole Dominion might be properly organised into sectors with a unit of the Home Guard in each, and the training of men commenced without delay.