TERRITORIAL ARMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23882, 9 August 1939, Page 10

TERRITORIAL ARMY

FULL STRENGTH REACHED RECRUITING TO CONTINUE ADDITIONAL SEVEN HUNDRED MEN (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Aug. 8. Sufficient recruits have come forward to bring the peace-time strength of the territorial army to 16,000. This announcement was made in an interview to-day by the Minister of Defence (Mr F. Jones), who said that recruiting was being continued to secure an additional 700 men for the combatant forces to make up for a similar number of bandsmen who were included in the total already enlisted. "Although it is only slightly over a month since the Army Recruiting Committee launched an organised campaign," Mr Jones said, "I am delighted to be able to announce that the strength of 16,000 laid down as the peace establishment, on expansion from the previous strength of 9500, has been exceeded. I wish to congratulate the many willing helpers who have contributed to this result. The task is not yet completed, however, because certain towns which have been allotted regimental quotas have not finished their recruiting drives and I am sure that many more good men of the type we have already enrolled will come forward, particularly in the ecntres where they are required, and do their duty. Reason for Further Recruiting "The strength of 16,000 includes 700 bandsmen," the Minister added, "and although they perform important and valuable duties they cannot be legitimately counted as fighting troops, although they are trained in the duties of stretcherbearers. In these troublous times it is essential that we should have the complete organisation of 16,000 combatant troops and we are, therefore, continuing our enlistment campaign and will accept every recruit who can measure up to the high standard now required." It was true that the majority of territorials were not fully trained soldiers, the Minister said, but the territorial regiments had men sufficiently trained even now to fight as they were likely to be required to fight in New Zealand. Confidence in Capabilities They could hold the coast defences against an attack from the sea, Mr Jones added, and could hold defiles against raiders trying to penetrate inland or make an aircraft attack against vital areas decidedly unpleasant for the attackers. Moreover, they would have good artillery support and plenty of motor transport with which to change front as rapidly as the situation altered. He had every confidence that the expanded territorial force at full strength would progress just as quickly in fighting efficiency as it had in numbers.