THE FIRST NEED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24792, 17 December 1941, Page 6

THE FIRST NEED

REQUIREMENTS O*F ARMY NATURE OF POSSIBLE RAID I NERVOUSNESS DHPRECATED i ■ While agreeing that reasonable civilian precautions against possible enemy action were advisable, Lieutenantcolonel J. G. Jeffery, conjimander of the Otago military area, s.aid yesterday that any steps deemed necessary by the civic authorities should not be allowed to overshadow t).ie first essential—the finding, equipping, and training of men for fighting pnits and their auxiliaries.

" The time has now an rived," Colonel Jeffery said, "when it must be emphasised that the place]for all men fit to carry out military duties is in the army or the Home Gujird. The only exceptions should be mjan required by the E.P.S. organisation because of their outstanding qualifications for particular work. Defence isj the paramount issue, and the army ne«:ds the recruits to build up the country**; home defence forces.

Snap Attack by Raider

" It would be foolish %p leave all possible plans for tljie protection of the civilian population!" Colonel Jeffery continued. of a determined attack on tbje civilian population or the country experiencing anything in the way of p. major action nevertheless appears tcj be remote. An unduly nervous should therefore not be allowed t©, develop. "Only In the eveiat of the improbable loss of conjirol of Singapore and Hawaii, tjjwreby giving the Japanese the ascendancy in the Pacific Ocean, is it li) tely that anything of a grave nature will occur in New Zealand," ho said. "The only likely danger is the possibility of a sporadic raid, a snap raid by a raider, whiclj. could carry only a' limited personnel and certainly not more than two light aircraft.

"Raiders operating: far from their bases will have no 'wish to disclose their positions and lay, themselves open to attack by bombeprs, of the Royal New Zealand Air Fonce," Colonel Jeffery added. " Their f role will probably be to harass and, 1 destroy ships at sea, evading the pqospect of being seriously damaged, j especially now with only short summer nights. This factor tends to • minimise the possibility of a sporadic raid, but does not exclude the threat of, such a happening. Prelude to landing

" If, however, a raiider does attempt hostile action, it will undoubtedly be for the- purpose of ; landing men to carry out as much | material damage as possible in the shortest time. It is against this possibility that we must direct our main efforts, and it necessitates having 'the fcoast manned to meet a sudden strike at any point. Planes carried by raiders are mainly for reconnaissance purposes, and are not capable of carrying heavy bomb loads. jNo comparison can be made between the types of machines used on aircraft carriers* and those operated from raiders, lurthermore, damage by shellfire ' would also be extremely limited." "Colonel Jeffery said he could not stress too strongly .that the forming, equipping, and : trailing of units was the work of weeks, (even months, and not days, especially when dealing with men who, in the nujin, had had little or no military training. "It is the job of the fit manhood ojj this city to train 'to fight," he added, | pointing out that enlistments had beeij broadened to include married men < between the ages of 21 and 55, with fwo or three children, as well as sinigle men between 45 and 55 years of atee. • ' . "I* is hoped by thja- army authorities that by enlarging thfe scope for enlistment an immediate* response will be made." he said. "Vie want enlistment from men living in the city and its environs for a new' battalion of the National Military [Reserve, a field ambulance, and Lines of Communication Companies/ Tfiese units will be for service in the Ciago defence area."

THE HOME GUARD J ; A CALL FOR RECRUITS "Home Guard rejcruiting figures for the city and suburban districts have been most disappointing, only 16 men having come forward since Japan entered the war," said Colonel A. S. Bruce Smith, district director of the Otago and Southland Home Guard, in a statement to a daily Times reporter last night. "Such a poor response at a time like this is \ difficult to comprehend, and in view pit the critical situation it is imperative that we should build up a strong defence line. " I wish, therefor*, to appeal to every fit man in the comjtnunity to enlist for service," Colonel S'.mith said. "I appreciate that the civil side requires its personnel, but theab services, if we are to defend our hornes, will require to be provided by men who are not fit for fighting, and /perhaps more than we imagine at thjp moment from the women of the Dominion, who have already displayed} a keenness which men could easily epnulate. Capitulation must be eliminated from our vocabulary. We must [stand like the folk in the Homeland.! four-square. Let us put behind us the 'might have been' and 'I told you so.' and unite in the determination to defend our land. The hour has arrived, when every fit man must serve. j "' Can I be sparjed from my employment or business! now?' is the question. If the ansvfer is in the affirmative, then a noan should join the National Military (Reserve for immediate mobilisation, tlf, on the other hand, the answer is. 'I cannot be spared immediately,' theja a man must join the Home Guartll. I want it to be •clearly understood that both are army jobs. / ! "It should be known, however, that the Home Guard tjvill only be mobilised if and when ini/asion is imminent," Colonel Smith said. "If a man is in the Home Guard he will not be called until our land (has to be defended. Then the Home! Guard will take the dispositions allotted to it. To do the ;job the Home Gtjiard requires 700 more •men who can undergo training at once. lA hundred trained men are worth 1000 [untrained. I ■ ■ "I appeal to \the men of Dunedin, 'and to the menv of Otago and Southland, to come and fill the gaps," he added. " I would strongly urge the men who are physically unable to take pairt in either of the fighting units—the National Military Reserve or the! Home Guard—to join an E.P.S. unit.'7 '