The Rangitikei Advocate. TWO EDITIONS DAILY. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1919. THE N.Z.E.F.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 11760, 21 February 1919, Page 4

The Rangitikei Advocate. TWO EDITIONS DAILY. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1919. THE N.Z.E.F.

THE end of the war has permitted the General Staff cf the Now Zealand Army to publish the details of the formation and maintenance of onr forces in the field. The Defence Minister and General Staff should be highly oomplimentad on the results attained. After more than four years of intense struggle we are stronger than ever in our man power and “will to war,” and in proportion to our population have sent more of onr young 'men to fight than any othhr of the outlying Dominions of the British [Empire. Early in 1914 the principle was adopted in New Zealand of sending at once a force proportional to onr population, sud of such a size as we thought we were capable of maintaining at full strength for at least three years. This policy was clearly laid down in a memorandum laid before the House of Representatives in June, 1915, in words which have been justified by the event:—“lf at any time there may be a temporary surplus of recruits, great care is necessary before the popular cry to make an increase! offer of fresh troops can be acceded to. To put units into the field which waste away for want of reinforcements is entirely opposed to the principles laid down by the Imperial Government for the maintenance cf onr armies in the field. We have to prepare for a war which may last for three years. It would be an everlasting disgrace to New Zealand if, before the war came to an end, she had to confess that she could not maintain her Expeditionary Force ia the field. The honour of

putting a large number Of units into j the field at the one time would be forgotten in the failure to maintain them there. We must prepare for a long war,and it is essential that we should count the cost, and make sure that our resources of men are organised in such a manner as to last to the finish.” This programme was well carrier! out, for at the end of the war we found ourselves with a fully equipped sud manned division in France, excluding men in hospital and convalescents, of 21,770 men, and another mounted division in Palestine of 2657. The New Zealand division in France was the only division in the British Army which had maintained its full strength, all others having been reduced in July, 1918. In addition to these men on the firing lines, we had 13,500 men on the camp rolls in New Zealand, 9924 of whom belonged to the Reinforcements, and in the various theatres of war, on the water, iif hospital and Invalids 34,552. These figures are interesting as showing the number of men in various details not actually fighting. The number of men killed and dead, prisoners discharged, or awaiting discharge is 41,435.

We quote this conclusion of the actual report:—‘‘To take a general view of the figures before dealing with the details, wa see that New Zealand actually put under arms 11.4 per cent of its total population (counting'men, women aud children), and that 50 per cent of the male population of military age went into camp. These figures include the men under training when the Armistice was signed. The number of men who had embarked at that data was 100,444 (including 550 nurses) or 9.2 of tlie total population, ' DISPOSITION OF THE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE For the first time we are able to give exact information as to the numbers of New Zaalanders in the Expeditionary Force at the date e£ the Armistice. These figures, though lengthy, are too important to be summarised. They are as follows: — ON 13th NOVEMBER, 1918 On water — 43rd Reinforcements (second portion) and 40th-43rd Mounted Rifle Reinforce meuts 1052 Two Hospital Ships 305 Invalids and duty furlough men returning to New Zealand 2056 Tots! 3313 la France— Strength In field (Division and Tunnelling Company) 18,393 Reinforcements in France 553 Employed other than with Division and Tunnelling Company 2625 In Hospital 1632 Convalescents 7i3 24,115 In England— Reserve Group and detached Reserve units (Reinforce mems) 8765 Command Depot, “Codford (convales or unfit) 2761 Convalescent Hospital, Hornchurch 5087 All other hospitals in the United Kingdom 6197 Headquarters London, and Postal, Records, Pay, and Police Services also details awaiting evacuation to New Zealand ' 657 23.467 In Egypt— Strength of Brigade 1941 Strength of units outside Brigade 398 Nnmbars available as Reinforce ments 219 Numbers on lines of communication (not available as Reinforcements) 134 In hospital 1054 Convalescents 800 4541 Killed and died 16,803 Missing 84 Prisoners 356 Discharged in New Zealand 20,721 In New Zealand not yet discharged 3394 Discharged in United Kingdom 678 41,435 Samoan Expeditionary Force— Strength of garrison 12tn November, 1918 236 Died 3 Returned to New Zealand 1841 2079 Imperial Reservists 211 Naval ranks and ratings 190 H.M.S. Philomel 159 Royal Naval Auxiliary Patrol 190 Royal Flying Corps 192 Postal and Audit Officials 2 Nnrses 550 3573 Grand Total 100,444 RESERVES.

These figures dispose of one point on which there has been a good deal of controversy of a one-sided description,—one-sided the people who considered they could have settled the question cdnld only have done so by disclosing information which would have been of much value to the enemy. I: relates to the reserve forces existing ia England and France. Many people asserted that a huge reserve of men was being built up in England, at the erst of depleting New Zealand industries of man-power. Now it ca n be seen that the Reserve Group and detached Reserve units in England cn 12th November last totalled 8765, but of these 718 were Category B and C men (unfit). 1133 comprised the Permanent Staff at Sling and other camps; 3140 were fresh arrivals not physically fit after

the long voyage, and ..with their advanced training yet to be undertaken. Eliminating these classes, there remained 3776 men available for reinforcements—not an unduly number when we call to mind that New Zealand casualties at the Somme within three weeks amounted to 4210, and that the casualties at Passchea.lals in nine days’ fighting totalled 3907. Thsse casualties were exclusive of the ordinary wastage caused through sickness, eto.