NEW ARMY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 18 April 1939, Page 6

NEW ARMY

TERRITORIAL RECRUITS i PROGRESS IS SLOW LONDON. 13th April. The results up to the present of the j campaign to bring the Territorials to j war strength and then to double them j 1 have not been encouraging. ! So far 40 out of approximately 400 units have reached war strength and j ! are now forming duplicated regiments, j The existing divisions of the field , I army, as opposed to the anti-aircraft army, were 98,000 strong on Ist March, j They are now 105.000 strong, leaving ; 235,000 to complete the 26 divisions. , There is a curious conflict between i the buoyant and optimistic reports ap- 1 pearing in the news columns of the j newspapers and the increasing demands j 1 in editorial comment and in letters to 1 the editors for a modification of the list J of reserved occupations which, accord- ; ing to one authority, exempts half the \ j nation’s man-power from duty and even from listening to the appeal to participate in national service. It is true that the recruiting campaign has not yet gained its full momentum, and the conference of newlyappointed Territorial public relations officers yesterday expressed the opinion that with good organisation the numbers would be obtainable. Nevertheless, much already has been done to emphasise the urgency of the need. London and the provincial towns are plastered with recruiting posters. The newspapers are devoting columns daily to reports of the progress of recruiting, and there are articles directly ' or indirectly appealing to recruits—for I example, a collection of interviews with I girls who declare that they do not mind 1 if their sweethearts go to war, as they | prefer manly men. j RESERVED OCCUPATIONS The list of reserved occupations offers generous exemptions. For example, university professors, lecturers, statisticians, and estate agents are all exempt over the age of 25 years. Roof thatchers, piano polishers, photographers, pastrycooks, and mineral water workers are all exempt over 30 years. It is announced that men in reserved occupations may join the Territorials if they intend to practise their trade, but it is pointed out that there is no scope for estate agents, piano polishers, etc., in the army. London’s Welshmen are being recruited to form a special anti-aircraft I regiment. A group of actors led by I Mr Frank Lawton is appealing for rej cruits for an actors’ unit, which would j train in the daytime.