EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

Southland Times, Issue 17660, 18 February 1916, Page 6

EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

SCHEME FOR REORGANISATION. CREATION OF NEW ZEALAND DIVISION. The announcement made by the Minister of Defence that Cabinet has approved of a scheme for the creation of a New Zealand Division in the reorganisation of the forces at the front, will/be received with expressions of approval and regret. Approval will come from civilians, who, realising' that New Zealand has some 45,000 men serving and in training, will consider that its forces should constitute a distinct Army unit. Regret will he expressed by our soldiers, who have fought side by side with the Australians in the operations on Gallipoli. ami with them have made imperishable history for the dominion and the Commonwealth. Hitherto the dominion soldiers have belonged to a mixed New Zealand and Australian division. There were two brigades in the dominion force, namely, that known as the Main Body (the original Expeditionary Force!, and the Rifle Brigade (I.ord Liverpool’s Regiment). General Godley proposes to form a third brigade out of the accumulated infantry reinforcements, and the three brigades referred to will ho formed into a purely New Zealand Division. Under the old establishment, that is, the establishment which was in operation before the war broke out, a division comprised 555 officers, and 17,188 men. making a total of 18,07.1. It is known, however, that certain additions have been made, and a division to-day may be taken in round numbers at 20,000 men of all arms, under the command of a general officer. The normal constitution of a division is as follows: — Three infantry Brigades (a brigade consists of four battalions of 1000 men each). Headquarters’ Divisional Artillery (three 0-gun batteries). Three Field Artillery Brigades (each of three batteries and an ammunition, column). One howitzer brigade C> batteries and an ammunition column). One Heavy Battery and Ammunition Column (four guns). One Divisional Ammunition Column. One Headquarters’ Divisional Engineers. Two Field Companies Engineers. One Signal Company. One Cavalry Squadron. One Divisional Train. Three Field Ambulances. The Minister of Defence states that the matter of reinforcements is under consideration, but that the proportion will probably remain as at present.