COUNTRY'S CALL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24791, 16 December 1941, Page 4

COUNTRY'S CALL

THE NEED FOR MEN REQUIREMENTS URGENT " I want the men now, and not when the balloon goes up," said Lieutenantcolonel J. G. Jeffery, commander of the Otago military area, making a further appeal yesterday for home defence recruits. "I want at least 1500 men almost immediately, and I intend to get them. Every man in Dunedin who is eligible for the National Military Reserve has a duty to play his part, and I want to see them rolling up for enlistment in their scores every day this week." Colonel Jeffery expressed disappointment at the failure of his earlier" appeals for recruits. There was a spurt in enlistments when the Japanese front opened up, he said, but it was shortlived, and the number of recruits signed on was alarmingly short of expecta'tibns.- • '■■'''■■■■ , Country's First Call "I must make allowances for the E.P.S. and other emergency services, but I am bound to point.out that the army's need is.the country's first call, and the army urgently wants men, and many men, to defend our beaches and homes" Colonel Jeffery continued. "If the situation in "the Pacific is not regarded as serious by our people, I can only say that they are not facing up to their responsibilities, and it is time they woke up." Colonel Jeffery said he was determined to fill the guota for the second battalion of the National Military Reserve, for which provision had been made in the regulations. Recruits were urgently wanted, in order that training might be started at the earliest moment. It would be no use, he said, thinking about training which might have been done if the real emergency arose. It was no use;men avoiding their obligations at this had to be enlisted to fight; v "Take My Warning" ■'}■ MTiere have been '■ only three enlistments for a new. unit which was announced the other day~r-a .new field ambulance corps/' he added, ; J '. Men are" also wanted for two Lines of Communication Companies. All take time to establish when the men are available and have been put into uniform. "I make this further appeal to the men of Dunedin to fall in and march with; the army. There are civilian duties which can quite well be left to women, who will play an increasingly important part. /But men must form the backbone of bur home defence army, and men must come forward. I leave it to their better judgment to take my warning," Colonel Jeffery concluded.