THE HOME GUARD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 6 December 1940, Page 4

THE HOME GUARD

[To the Editor] Sir, —Having attended parades of the Home Guard, I am amazed at the number of men of my acquaintance who evidently have not enrolled and despite the lack of publicity and boosting, I cannot understand why the strength of the Guard is not 1500 or 2000 instead of 200 or 300. As I see it there is a job for every man who is able to move and surely there is not a man in Nelson who would desire to be idle in case of trouble or who would desire the Mayor to put up a white flag to any raiding enemy.

1 expect the excuse is that many haven’t got the time to spare from their businesses or jobs, but what is going to be the good of businesses or jobs if we fall into the hands of the enemy? If we have these good things to which we devote so much time, surely they arr worth defending and surely we ohould make time, even if it involved some sacrifice, to train and fit ourselves for the defence of everything we have got if some men I have seen on parade have time to devote to this object then all I can say is that there are very few if any men in Nelson who haven’t got the time There seems to be a disinclination on the part of many to give up time spent on the tennis lawns, bowling greens, cricket fields, or at the pictures—spare time if ever there was. Ard it is no use laughing and/ saying there is no danger. If there is no danger why are so many who are ‘in the know” so desperately anxious to have a Home Guard and why is an Air Force base being established in Nelson? I hope some abler pen than mine will take this matter up before it is too late. I hope that armlets will soon be issued to those who have enrolled, so that the people of Nelson will be able to see for themselves those who are prepared to do something at any rate to defend them. —I am. etc., “ON GUARD.” Nelson sth Dec