HOME DEFENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23780, 7 October 1940, Page 6

HOME DEFENCE

With tho process of expanding the Territorial Force from three brigades to three divisions now in full career, the staff appointments announced this morning have not come before their time. Military experience proves, in fact, that it is a much more difficult and longer business to fill and train the staffs than the ranks. In New Zealand the difficulty is greater because the peacetime establishment of tho Territorials was exceedingly modest, being based on a paper strength of 16,000, and because a number of the highly trained officers have quite properly been despatched overseas with the echelons. The consequence is that a depleted cadre of professional soldiers is now faced with the formidable task of staffing and organising a Territorial Force of almost three times the strength of that supposed to exist at the outbreak of the war. The Minister of Defence says New Zealand will have an armed force of 44,498 men by next March, so that the divisional and 'field force commanders just appointed have been given precious little time in which to gather and train staffs, and "to study the various tactical and administrative problems" of which Mr. Jones speaks. Better late than never, however, and at least the several commanders are now squarely confronted by their task and can set about it. At the same time the country is given a glimpse of the home defence organisation that is being built up —a corps of three divisions. It may be noted that, while the divisional appointments have made their belated appearance, no provision has yet been made for the corps command and staff.