RECRUITING FOR THE NATIONAL RESERVE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 293, 12 December 1941, Page 4

RECRUITING FOR THE NATIONAL RESERVE

NEW WANGANUI BATTALION JLEN IN HOME GUARD ARE ELIGIBLE "Members of the Home Guard are free to volunteer tor service with the three new companies of the National Military Reserve which are being formed in Wanganui and are to be uniformed and equipped immediately." said the Area Officer at Wanganui, Captain D. W. Curham, M.C., yesterday. "Once they pass the necessary medical lest lor the National Reserve, application will have to be made for their clearance from the Home Guard and their acceptance in the Reserve will be subject to that clearance being obtained." Il was announced yesterday that Lieutenant-Colonel D. A. C. LUburne. E.D., had been appointed battalion commander of the Thirteenth Battalion, N.M.R., which will be composed of the three new companies, each of 96 men. now being formed, together with the Eleventh Company, which has been in existence for more than a year.

Lieutenant-Colonel Lilburne has the distinction ot having risen from the ranks in the Wellington West Coast Regiment lo the position ot commander of its first battalion. He joined the regiment in November, 1915, and became sergeant in charge of the signal section. In January. 1918, he was granted, a commission and became signalling officer. He served with the regiment during the days when military service had gone badly out of favour with the public. When the regiment was reformed, more than two years ago. LieutenantColonel Lilburne, then with the rank of major, was appointed commander succeeding Major G. G. Hancox, who then commanded the Wellington West Coast Depot troops. He relinquished command of the Ist Battalion lour months ago. Recruiting for the three new companies of the National Reserve is proceeding now. Many applications have already been received, several from men in the Home Guard ana other units who were not able to join the Eleventh Company on its formation. .Men required are to be in lite 46 to 55 age group, and they are to undergo 40 days' training a year, 10 of which will be spent in camp. Their training will be in every way similar to that of the Eleventh Company (Major J. P. Wells), which has moved progressively from the elementary parade ground work to tactical exercises, which have been so designed to bring out the leadership and resource of the junior n.c.o.'s and the senior privates. Rifle instruction, including practical work on the Putiki range, with light machine-guns, grenade throwing, Tommy-gun instruction, wiring and construction of strong posts, have all formed part of the syllabus. Time spent on parade with the company has been paid for, on the basis of 7s a day for privates. The same will apply to the companies now being formed. Officers and senior n.c.o.'s of the Eleventh Company have undergone special instruction at the Central District School of Instruction. Palmerston North.