SPECIAL FORCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23487, 26 October 1939, Page 13

SPECIAL FORCE

NAME AND UNITS THE DIVISION NINE BATTALION BASIS •MANY NEW DESIGNATIONS The special military force now being created in New Zealand for service at home or overseas in the war will be known as the Second New Zealand Division and its units will be numbered in continuation of the serial numbers of its predecessor which was formed in Egvpt'after Gallipoli and served in France in 1916-18. The division is being organised on the nine battalion basis. Although the Now Zealand Division preserved its 12 infantry battalion organisation throughout tho Great War, many of the British divisions were reduced to nine battalions, one reason being that the smaller division was much handier and more compact for fighting purposes. After tho war there was general reversion to tho 12 battalion division, but recently it was decided to make tho nine infantry or rifle battalion division the standard throughout the Empire. New Infantry Brigade

Tlicro were three servico brigades in the New Zealand Division, each having four battalions, aiul there was also the 3lnchine-Gun Battalion. The second Division starts with tho Fourth New Zealand Infantry Brigade, its units being tho 18th (Auckland) Battalion, the 19th (Wellington) Battalion and the 20th (Canterbury and Otago) Battalion. By including tho territorial designation, the association of the units with the military districts in New Zealand is preserved. Tho Fifth Brigade, to bo provided by the Second Echelon, will have the 21st, 22nd and 23rd Battalions respectively and the Sixth Brigade, to be recruited from tho Third Echelon, will have the 2-lth, 25th and 26th Battalions. Tho machine-gunners, now in training at Burnham, will bo organised into tho 27th (Machinc-Gun) Battalion. The Maoris, who provided a battalion of pioneers' in the last war, will be known as the 2Sth (Maori) Battalion. Changed Artillery Form

Tlio new (organisation for tho artillery is brought into being with tho Second Division. Hitherto tho artillery was organised into brigades of four six-gun batteries. A battery now has 12 guns divided into two troops, and two batteries become a field regiment. Designations arc the 4th Field Regiment, New Zealand Artillery, comprising tho 2oth and 26th Batteries; tho oth Field Regiment, with tho 27th and 28th Batteries; and the Gth Field Regiment, consisting <jf tho ,29th and 30th Batteries. Tho Fourth Regiment is provided in the First Echelon and the oth and Gth will be recruited from the second and third respectively. An addition to tho artillery is the 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment, comprising the 31st, ''32 nd, 33rd and 34th Batteries, tho last-mentioned being recruited among New Zealanders in England. Each „ infantry brigade will also have ail anli-tank company. Several Additions

Engineers arc divided into tho Gth, 7th and Bth Field Companies, with the addition of a new unit in tho sth Field Park Company. Among other additions to the forco which were not known in tho Now Zealand Division are the 4th Reserve Motor-Transport Company, of the Army Service Corps, whose func-

tion it is ,to provide transport for troops; and 11 Light Aid Detachments of the Ncjv Zealand Ordnance Corps. These are numbered 9 to 19 and their part is to render assistance and effect repairs to mechanical transport and the anti-tank units. There is also a divisional petrol company of tho Army Service Corps. An outstanding addition to the divisional troops for this war is the mechanised cavalry, which operates light tanks and cross-country vehicles of the Bren machine-gun carrier type. It will be known as the 2nd New Zealand Divisional Cavalry Regiment.

THE SECOND ECHELON NORTH AUCKLAND OFFICERS [from oun own cokhkspondent] WIIANG AKEI, Wednesday The following officers in North Auckland have b6en called up for service frith the second echelon of the specia military force:—3?ifie Battalion: Majoi 6. J. Kelly ' (Kawakawa), Captain R W. Harding (Dargaville), Captain J, V. M. Cauty (Umawera), Lieutenant E. B. Butcher (Dargaville), Lieutenant ,W. R. C. Saul (Whangarei), Lieutenant G. H. Panckhurst (Whangarei), Second-Lieutenant H. M. Mcllroy .(Dargaville)/Second-Lieutenant E. G. Smith (Mangapai). EAST COAST ENLISTMENTS GOOD RESPONSE BY MAORIS [BV TEJVECH.VPIT —OWN COP.i!KSPOXI)ENT] GISBOIINE, Wednesday Taking into account both European and Maori enlistments, nearly 700 men ®f Gisborne and the East Coast district have offered their services for the army. Although the flow of European recruits has fallen off noticeably, that of Maori enrolments is still main- -- '.amcd at a good level. Maori enlist-. jjients to-day reached 112 and it is Known that there are still a number . returns to , be handled. There is | !Vor y indication that the district will lave a generous margin over its quota jor the first draft of the Maori battalion and should lie able to maintain numbers by way of reinforcements. MAORI BATTALION RECRUITING IN THE NORTH [ntOM OUR OWN CO I« RESPONDENT] WHANGATIEr, Wednesday Recruiting in North Auckland for the n °ri battalion 1 has shown a decided Improvement./i'lie cards of 180 single u 'n have been received at Whangarei foin (he recruiting officers in the area. record of ]2O married men who are Psirous of enlisting has also been reeivo(j. 'l|,i s improvement iu recruiting , s due to the campaign that is being ■irried out in the native settlements, ? s well as to appeals that have been sstled bv the responsible leaders of the native race. -i ''in ■