IN THE EVENT OF WAR

Taranaki Daily News, 8 January 1927, Page 14

IN THE EVENT OF WAR

SOUTH AFRICA'S DEFENCE. A CITIZEN ARMY SCHEME. Capetown, Oct. 15. South Africa is at present engaged in ' a thorough reorganisation of its scheme for defence in the event of war. The present Minister of Defence, Colonel Cresswell, and several military advisers h'ave almost completed a scheme whereby South Africa would be able to deal with any big native outbreak or aggression from without its borders. One of the most important reforms decided upon is the grouping of the Active Citizen Force in four brigades—■ Cape Peninsula, Eastern Province, Witwatersrand and Natal. Special attention is apparently being paid to the air force, which will be strengthened. BrlI gade organisation is being introduced as far as the Active Citizen regiments are concerned and will in time, it is hoped, be applied to commands as well. A complete citizen army is now taking definite shape. Further development will be mainly a matter of finance, for the present defence vote is under £900,000 a year. On that expenditure the j aim is to have an Air Force which can I strike at any enemy gathering anywhere in the Union within 12 hours and to be sure of mobilising 10,000 men to concentrate within operating distance within 72 or 96 hours, and to be able to mobilise an additional force of 15,000 men—making 25,000 in all —equipped and able to hold the field within a few days later. One of the most important features of Colonel Cresswell's reorganisation scheme was the provision made for the training of young men in the country districts, which had not actually been undertaken under old arrangements. Special training squadrons have now been formed in 40 out of 147 commando districts. Each squadron consists of 100 men, but the number will gradually be increased to 200. Thus, 4000 young men in rural areas are now receiving definite training, and probably in 12 months’ time there will be 8000 in special squadrons. The men arc supplied with 'bandolier and rifle, which they keep during the four years they are posted to a squadron. Training provides for a minimum of four full days of drill and musketry and two days of wapinschaw. There is, however, such a keen spirit in the countryside that units devise ways of getting more training. Colonel Cresswell aims at building up a South African army which will be a citizen army embracing all branches of the service. With this object in view it is proposed to build up an organisation j of Active Citizen Force aircraft mechanics, and it is proposed to bring 150

youths to Roberts Heights in batches for training in this important work. The remaining Active Citizen Force units provided for are 11 infantry battalions, five mounted regiments, six batteries citizen artillery, one new formation of Cape Fortress Engineers, one field troop of engineers, three field companies, two armoured trains, signal corps, four supply sections, one veterinary section, one mounted brigade field ambulance, two field ambulances aiid two medical companies.