CALLED UP

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21244, 15 October 1940, Page 4

CALLED UP

MEN IN FIRST BALLOT RECRUITS FOR ARTILLERY TO MOBILISE ON FRIDAY PROBLEM TO FILL INFANTRY On Friday 92 reservists drawn from the No. 4 (Hamilton) military area in the first ballot will be called up for training. They will be the first balloted men to enter camp in the Hamilton area. The men have been chosen to join the 7th Medium Battery, New Zealand Artillery, which is in training at the Claudelands showgrounds temporary military camp, under the command of Major F. M. Yendell. The reservists have been notified of their mobilisation. They will parade at the Drill Hall, Hamilton, at 11 a.m. on Friday and shortly I afterwards they will march to the ; Claudelands camp. The mobilisation j is in accordance with the decision of i the military authorities to satisfy the j requirements of the artillery unit in | the Waikato before those of the other regiments. When they encamp the 7th Medium Battery will be brought up to full war strength. Some Infantry Next Week I The requirements of the infantry unit, the Ist Battalion, 16th Waikato Regiment, are the next to be satisi tied. Several hundred men will be | required to bring this unit up to war I strength for its intensive training at ! the Cambridge military camp, but 1 full mobilisation of the required men will not be possible immediately. However, it is expected that the first draft will be called up to encamp early next week. It is apparent that some difficulty may be experienced in securing sufficient men from the first ballot to bring the Waikato Regiment up to war strength. In any case very few men are available for immediate mobilisation, as each reservist bali loted has to be released by the i National Service Department before the military authorities can draft him to camp.

New Ballot Needed Urgently No reliable estimate can be given until the Hamilton District Manpower Advisory Committee considers the many appeals against service. However, it appears almost certain that difficulty will be experienced in securing the requirements of even the Waikato Regiment, and the Waikato Mounted Rifles also requires several hundred men to fill its ranks. This latter unit does not mobilise for its intensive training under the Government home defence scheme until January next. Its requirements are, therefore, not so urgent. The probable inability of the army authorities to bring the Ist Battalion of the 16th Waikato Regiment at Cambridge up to strength immedi- ; ately indicates the inadequate nature , : of the first ballot and shows, also, ; | that another ballot for the Hamilton area is not only needed but needed urgently. With the Waikato Regiment hav- , ing completed about a fortnight’s i training at Cambridge already, each : day’s delay in bringing it up to * strength from the ballot is delaying : progress and is likely to impair the , | unit’s efficiency.