DEFENCE DUTY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23828, 2 December 1940, Page 6

DEFENCE DUTY

CHRISTMAS IN CAMP TERRITORIALS AFFECTED UNITS IN THE PROVINCE Unless present arrangements are changed large numbers of territorials being trained in the northern military district will .spend Christinas J)ay in camp. It will be the first time for many years that temporarily mobilised home defence soldiers will bo receiving instruction over the Christmas period. However, most of the units and drafts a fleet od tvill bo demobilised before New Year's Day, and no further mobilisation of other units will be carried out until January 7. Those staving in camp lor Christmas T'ay may expect special menus and possibly an afternoon's sports. The home defence training programme provides lor a number of territorial units being itv cainp this jnonth. Some are encamped within easy distance of their homes, but leave arrangements for others depend largely upon the railway service, which can. be expected to have a large proportion of its rolling stock in use for civilian holiday-makers. Among the units whose training period will carry them over Christmas are the Ist Battalions of the Hauraki, North Auckland and Waikato .Regiments, and balloted men drafted to the Ist Battalion, Auckland Regiment, the Ist Field Regiment, New Zealand Artillery, and the 7th Medium Battery, New Zealand Artillery. lu addition to these temporarily mobilised territorials, other home defence soldiers will also have to spend Christmas Hay in camp. These include ex-servicemen on guard duty at vital points and artillerymen mobilised lor the coastal defences. A proportion of these men must stay on duty.