JOIN THE TERRITORIALS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23121, 20 August 1938, Page 21

JOIN THE TERRITORIALS

SUREST deterrent to Invasion of New Zealand Is a wellequipped land force of such strength and efficiency as will necessitate the despatch of an enemy unit of at least similar strength# Such a force is at present lacking in the Dominion; the man power is available, but only a small portion is being sufficiently trained. The peace establishment of the Dominion's land forces has been prescribed at 9000, the nucleus on which It Is intended to expand In the event of a national emergency, but the actual strength on May 31 was only 7100, a serious shortage of 1900 men.

CAfiEIV ZEALAND'S military forces today are 1900 men short. Auckland, one of the. most vulnerable parts of the Dominion, requires 600 men to fill local units to the necessary peacetime establishment. Recruits are required for the artillery, signals, infantry, army service corps and medical units. Now is the time for them to come forward.

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To lake a full share in the huge and complicated task ,of defending the Empire, of which New Zealand is a unit, is a definite moral obligation on the Dominion. Tn addition, as a self-govern-ing Dominion, she has assumed full responsibility for her own local protection, but, unless adequate provision for this has been made it is possible that New Zealand, instead of being a means of assistance in an Empire crisis, might actually he a source of embarrassment. Both the naval and air arms of New Zealand's defence have improved substantially in recent years. The land forces, however, both in strength and efficiency, fall substantially below the required standard. Public support is I readily forthcoming when increased I taval or air strength is required, but there is not the same spontaneous response when the requirements of the land forces are mentioned. The public seems convinced that there is no longer the same need for a strong land force. Armed man power is a prime essential to the adequate defence of New Zealand. Without delving into history, it is necessary only to review recent events in Spain and in China to realise that the land forces are the deciding factor. The machine has not displaced the man, important as it has become. The most modern mechanical aids are of inestimable importance to him, but without the man they alone are not enough. Men alone are also not enough. War is becoming increasingly complex, and

ample training, thorough and painstaking preparation for their duties, are necessary to the forces. Gone for ever are the days when an untrained rabble, no matter how willing, stood a chance of defeating trained troops. General Franco's trained troops in Spain have been successful against numerically superior foes time and again, military incompetence continually offsetting advantage in numbers. Competent authorities are concerned at the shortage of trained men in New Zealand's land forces. They know that, no matter how important may be the functions of the navy and the air force; the surest way of convincing a potential enemy that he cannot succeed in his plans of invasion of an island country is by iriaintaining so large and welltrained a land force that he will have to send an attacking unit of at least equal strength, and probably even stronger. If New Zealand had a land force of 20,000 men, well equipped and properly trained, any hostile power would be faced with the formidable task of providing sea transport for at least another 20,000 men. This is the view of men who know, who have devoted . lifetimes to military study, and whose opinions must be respected. To the layman, perhaps the transporting of 20,000 men to New Zealand does not sound an impossible task. Nor is it, but it is not something to be undertaken lightly, as it would involve the use of at least 30 transports, which would each have to cover a very considerable distance. A convoy big enough to bring 20,000 hostile troops to the Dominion would be a prime target for attack, both frpm the sea and from the air. Moreover, and an important consideration in time of war, the withdrawal of 30 transports from their normal use in commerce must have an immediate effect on the country relying, on them. Perhaps most important of all in connection with this great convoy is that its size alone would make it impossible for it to assemble, much less to move, in secret. It would be necessary to assemble the convoy some time before embarkation, and this fact alone should give those whose business it is to watch hostile movements a valuable and timely hint. Quite apart from the disadvantages, serious and real, that have been detailed, an enemy commander would realise that, even if his convoy reached

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New Zealand safely, there would follow the big task of effecting a landing in the face of a formidable land force. This alone might result in a decision to abandon the project before it had really taken shape. No such doubts could beset a potential invader at the moment. The plain fact is that New Zealand's armed forces to-day arc not sufficient to warrant either the sending of a huge convoy or to cause a hostile commander much worry about effecting: a landing. Even if the land forces were built up to the full 9000, that alone would not be sufficient. Each man must be thoroughly trained, so thoroughly that, in addition to fulfilling his own duties, he must be willing and capable to carry out efficiently the duties of a rank one or even two grades above that which he at present occupies. Such ability involves a thorough knowledge of military duties. Yet out

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of the existing strength of 7100 only 46 per cent attended annual 'training camps during the past year. This may be taken to mean that out of the minimum of 9000 highly - trained men needed, only 3266 could strictly be classified as efficient. The facts set out are of vital importance to the whole of New Zealand, to young and old, to rich and poor alike. Every resident is, or should be, well informed and actively interested where the defence of the Dominion is concerned. It may be asked what can' the ordinary man, past military age, oj woman, do to help? They can help, most definitely, by encouraging the young men of the country to come forward willingly and submit themselves to training that will fit them for the noblest of all duties, the defence of their country. The inadequacy of the Dominion's land forces, it has been correctly pointed out, is not a fair indication of the" response that would be forthcoming from New Zealand's young men if a crisis arose. This is perfectly true. There can be no doubt but that the young men of the country would come forward in their hundreds, offering their services, but the question arises and cannot he ignored, would they not then be too late?

Willingness in a national emergency is praiseworthy, hut of itself it is not sufficient. In any activity the skilled man will win all the time, whether it be in business or sport. A homely enough example, known to all men who. take any interest in boxing, is the decisive', manner in which a professional lightweight can make short work of the most enthusiastic but untrained heavyweight* The same applies in modern warfare. Only trained men are of value, for they are the only ones who can make proper, use of the elaborate equipment provided for them. . • ' : { ' \ -• ' Opinions as to the value of training are not based on mere theory. Practical r experience is behind the unanimous view of military authorities'in this respect. During the Great War there were numerous instances of what might have been, decisive actions failing owing to lack of adequate and efficiently-trained

strength, and the Great War was not sd long ago that its lessons have been forgotten. . :• V Tn their frantic race to arm, European nations are paying special attention to increasing their armies, and training them with absolute thoroughness. Development, of air forces, increased mechanisation and purchase of the»most modern weapons are not standing in thie way of the major factor, that of building up 'man power. Experience, both of the. past and of the present, is responsible for this significant mover Yet Nevy Zealand lags behind. ' , f l