FEWER PARADES OF HOME GUARD

Southland Times, Issue 25691, 28 June 1943, Page 4

FEWER PARADES OF HOME GUARD

New Policy For Home Defence REDUCED MOBILIZED ARMY (P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 26. From July 1 the Home Guard will be placed on a reserve basis with’ limited training. This is one of several changes announced by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Peter Fraser, in a statement on the reorganization of home defence. The War Cabinet, acting on the advice of the chiefs of staff, had decided on a reduction of the mobilized army in New Zealand and other adjustments in the fighting services to meet the changed situation in the Pacific. “It will be remembered,” said the Prime Minister, “that on May 20 and 21 Parliament had held a secret session when the Dominion’s Naval, Army and Air Force commitments and activities, as well as civil defence and industrial requirements, in relation to man and woman-power were fully discussed.” “The War Cabinet has come to the conclusion that it is possible to readjust defence plans so that a considerable reduction . can be made in the mobilized army, thus making available men required for the expansion of the Royal New Zealand Air Force and also allow the return of other men to industries connected with our war effort. TERRITORIAL ARMY

“Army reorganization will provide for a Territorial Army, a portion of which will be mobilized, this being essential for the manning of coast and antiaircraft artillery, the administration and training of the Territorial Army as a whole and also for the proper care and maintenance of a large amount of war equipment, stores and transport vehicles. The remainder of the Territorial force will be held on the now mobilized basis, the personnel being required to perform training and to be kept in a state of readiness for remobilization should the necessity arise. “Personnel for the non-mobilized portion of the Territorial Army will be drawn from men in the following classes:—

(a) Single men and married men without children of medical grades 1 and 2 between the ages of 18 and 40 inclusive. (b) Married men with not more than three children grades 1 and 2 between the ages of 18 and 40 inclusive. SELECTION OF MEN “In selecting these men regard will be paid to the individual circumstances of each man including particularly: (a) availability for in the event of emergency; (b) availability for withdrawal from industry for one month’s I camp training per annum; (c) availI ability for periodical parades in view of hours worked, location, etc. On reaching the upper age limit for service in the Territorial Army, men will' be posted to the reserve and will not carry out any further training unless such is subsequently prescribed but they will be liable to be called up for service on mobilization or, if liable for overseas service, annually. “The obligatory training to be performed by now-mobilized personnel is to be one month in camp and two whole day parades each month. Youths of 18 years of age becoming liable for service in now-mobilized units will be required to undergo one month’s recruit training in camp before being posted to a unit . Those who have completed one month’s camp training or six months’ Horne Guard service or such service in a secondary school cadet unit, considered as equivalent to one month’s camp training, will be exempted from the month’s recruit training.

“In ordei' to maintain mobilization sections at full strength youths will be called up for full-time home service on attaining the age of 20. Personnel required for overseas service will continue to be drawn from men between the ages of 21 and 40 inclusive and all men within these ages, whether mobilized or not, will be liable for overseas service. Those not mobilized will, of course, not be ordered into camp until they are made available to the Army iby the National Service Department after any appeals have been disposed of. HOME GUARD PARADES “It is considered that the military situation does not necessitate the present intensive training and degree of readiness of the Home Guard and it is now possible to give considerable relief to this large body of men who have been animated by a splendid spirit of service and have displayed great enthusiasm in their training. It has, therefore, been decided that the Home Guard can now be allotted a reserve role as from July 1. In every respect the Home Guard will retain its identity and organization.

“A reduced staff will be retained and all uniforms, personal equipment and rifles will remain on issue to the Home Guardsmen so that units will be ready to resume full-scale training if this should -be necessary. Members of the Home Guard will be required to attend one compulsory full-day parade of six hours every quarter. At these parades, rolls and equipment will be inspected and checked, the remainder of the time being devoted to the carrying out of the annual musketry course to encourage Home Guardsmen to improve their shooting. An issue of ammunition will be made to units for voluntary additional range practices. Now that training has been reduced it is desired that all units, especially in the cities and the larger towns, will continue active in the interests of the national war effort in such direction as may be required from time to time, particularly in organized work for the production of foodstuffs in the forthcoming season.”