INDEPENDENT FORCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 67, 20 March 1942, Page 3

INDEPENDENT FORCE

MOUNTED HOW! Gl ARDSMEN. Organ s . there is a substantia! bod,, of Home Uua •. mounted rifle-ner. in v? -.jus pa: i.- or A’e < Zealand, vvhcst val.. - in .econrais- I san ? duties over coun»r> without v .. . • . .a ■ should Nev. Zea.and be th: eate; e< < rhest troops are in country dist«ffi‘and every man u th.••'. is a goo., e horseman; moie often than not. men A • . • a to ridin g t mo.: of their livei The;, are armed r in the same sray as o* iinar; mounteo S rifle und* they km, ■ th-. : r Io .J ‘ p can h.e of. co.u-'r: ar ! mo.. n about indept tdf nt < ro d oi br iges p The n . - n st farm .. or v.< rker* on fir... - and l. ey provide their own horses. ' . t< the pi >en j< th<- ha.e aso Ju.n shed :h -ir own d se' 1 er. and equlpn; nt. nut an isru*. : has no .’ bee:, atPbor :?«*•’ of saddierv d psi • . . J and han to.lms f< The mount-: n . G-, .rd ui. b d provide an excel nt avenue fori J ramr.ers past the age ot r/e i-virchos • a.id the other exertions of ir/antrj ti manoeuvres hut who can still more than hold their own on hois- hack. The units include manj men who are firstclass shots. These troops parade at weeK-cnd.-and train in rc <mna:>.:*nce work. They show great keenness. A typical exampie is that of a sheepfarmer pas Havelock North who rides 12 miles ’ the assembly point of his troop. He is a man over 5T The mechanisation of Territorial ? Force mounted regiments makes t. c ’ role of these Home Guard troops more i ( important. With independent mount- 1 cd units of the Territorial Force th . ( will make a body of fightihg men whe wii! be untroubled hv problems of • r rcaris. fuel or provisions. | < The mounted Home Guard units ( have reach-.I their greatest strength in; the Auckland. Hawke's Bay and; Poverty Bay districts. There is one' squadron of Maoris. I A troop at Lower Hutt has been publicised i\v a photograph in the ( Tlliistrated London News.