HOME GUARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24833, 5 February 1942, Page 4

HOME GUARD

LINKED WITH REGULAR FORCES DUTIES. ON VOLUNTARY BASIS (F.0.P.R.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 4. Authority has been given..-with* 'the approval of the Minister of -Defence (Mr F. Jones), Army Headquarters, and the Director-general of the Home Guard (Brigadier R. Young), for Home Guard units to supplement th€> Territorial Force and the National Military Reserve units in certain duties. These will be operational, tasks, such'as-wir-ing and digging, tasks which, are regarded by officers commanding districts - as essential and which could not be undertaken by mobilised territorial or National Reserve units, and as reliefs to enable territorial forces and National Reserve personnel to have the authorised week-end leave and furlough. Brigadier Young said that there were two classes of duty. The first, was unpaid shifts, such as beach patrols or similar duties of less than 24 hours continuously in the guardsman's spare time. Under the classification of paid shifts came continuous duties for 24 hours or more on coast .watching, as guards of vital points, or on the relief , of other home defence troops at weekends, or assisting the latter with wiring, digging, and so on. There was also provision for' partial mobilisation for continuous duty for one week or for continuous .employment for an indefinite period, according to requirements determined by .officers command-

ing districts: Tnese duties will include coast watching,' guards of vital points, occupation of defensive., positions, and support of other home defence units. All duty undertaken, f Brigadier Young said, was on a voluntary basis. Men who volunteered for duty that would take them away from their civil employment must obtain the consent of their employers. Pay was at territorial rates, with the usual allowances.