MILITARY SERVICE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23811, 18 May 1939, Page 11

MILITARY SERVICE

THE CHANGE IN BRITAIN CALLING UP OF RESERVISTS FIRST GROUP IN JULY (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, May 16. (Received May 17, at 6.30 p.m.) The first group of men to be called up under the Military Training Bill, which it is hoped to put on the Statute Book before Whitsun, will consist of between 40,000 and 50,000. They will receive notice on or about July 1 to report to their units a fortnight later. The registration of all men between 20 and 21 who are liable under the Act will take place on June 3, and the medical examination will be commenced on June 8. Under the reserve and Auxiliary Forces Bill, which should also become an Act of Parliament next week, the Admiralty proposes in order to increase the fleet’s preparedness to call up into service half the Royal Fleet reserve from June 15 for three months, and the other half in the middle of September. In the case of the army the first group of territorial anti-aircraft units will be called up to report on June 11, and the first group of reservists on June 15. As regards the Royal Air Force, it is intended to call up by groups the personnel of the London squadron of the balloon, barrage, and the first group will be required to report on June 11. Orders for Clothing Large orders are to be placed in the Manchester area during the next few weeks on behalf of the War Office by Sir Frederick Marquis, honorary adviser on the production of clothing, for Britain’s new armies. The orders will include 1,000,000 shirts, 1,000,000 uniforms, 2,000,000 pairs of socks, and 1,000,000 pairs of. army boots. Deliveries under the War Office contracts are to be speeded up, those undertaken for October to be available if possible by the end of July. THE RATES OF PAY (Independent Cable Service) LONDON, May 16. The Supplementary Estimates state that Army conscripts will be paid Is 6d a day, with a married allowance of 17s a week. During training conscript R.A.F. and Fleet air arm pilots will be paid 2s 9d a day, observers 2s, and air gunners Is 6d.