7

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are not gazetted to the Expeditionary Force until finally approved during the Week of embarkation. 28. It has been definitely decided from the outset of the war that officers with the Reinforcement drafts should not be sent in- a higher rank than that which they hold or have held in tho New Zealand Military Forces or other Military Forces of the Empire. Officers may be recommended by Officers Commanding Districts as only being suitable to hold a lower rank than that which they held in the Territorial Force. An officer coming into camp on probation for a lower rank than that which he holds in the Territorial Force must Wear the badges of the lower rank. Any officer Who, whilst serving in Trentham Camp, does not come up to the standard required is liable to be informed by the Commandant of the Military Forces of New Zealand that his services are no longer required for the Expeditionary Force. As an alternative, in certain cases an officer may be given the option of serving in such lower rank for which he may be considered fitted, or of resigning. 29. With a view to conserving tho supply of Territorial officers available, two or three gentlemen Were sent in by the Auckland District as officers who had no previous military experience. These gentlemen were permitted to come into Trentham Camp, in order to ascertain whether it Was possible to turn out efficient officers from civilians with the course of training in the camp. As a result of the experience so gained it Was decided not to accept for service as officers civilian candidates. Civilians who aspire to obtain commissions in the Expeditionary Force must obtain their commissions from the ranks, as explained in the section below dealing with non-commissioned officers. 30. All officers are required to come into Trentham Camp five Weeks before their men are due to come in. This preliminary training has produced excellent results, and officers who have been through the course have, in the majority of cases, been found to be fully competent to undertake the preliminary training of their men on arrival in tho camp. Opportunity is also afforded during this preliminary training to Weed out officers who are not likely to prove efficient. 31. Very large numbers of officers are required to supply the Reinforcement drafts in the future. The strain is already being felt. The supply of available officers from the Territorial Force is gradually being exhausted- The question of troop and platoon leaders does not afford any cause for anxiety. There is an inexhaustible supply of good young officers available from the ranks of the Reinforcement drafts. Details regarding this subject are given in paragraph 38. The difficulty is to keep up the supply of suitable Squadron and Company Commanders. The smallest possible number of suitable senior officers is called up for each draft. All vacancies which may occur in a draft in the course of training are filled up to the best advantage from the draft itself. V. Provision of Non-commissioned Officers. 32. Men who desire to serve as non-commissioned officers with tho Reinforcements of the Expeditionary Force are required to register at Defence Offices in a similar manner to the ordinary recruit. Non-commissioned officers are sent into Trentham Camp in the proportion of one non-commissioned, officer to twenty men. Quotas are called from districts in proportion to the available numbers registered and medically fit at the time the call is made. 33. Officers Commanding Districts are responsible for tho selection of suitable men. Preference is given to men who are already non-commissioned officers in the Territorial Force, or who have had previous military experience. If sufficient numbers of this class of men are not forthcoming, then civilians who have good education and knowledge are nominated. 34. Non-commissioned officers are called up in the same manner as are the men. (Vide paragraph 21.) 35. Non-commissioned officers are required to come into Trentham Camp on probation five weeks in advance of their men. They go through a thorough course of training identical with that of the officers, which, experience has shown, renders them efficient in handling their men. Opportunity is taken to weed out any men who are not likely to prove efficient. 36. The appointments of non-commissioned officers with the Reinforcement drafts are made on probation, but non-commissioned officers, while serving as non-commissioned officers with the Reinforcement draft, draw pay for the rank which they hold on probation. During the five weeks of probationary training the probationary non-commissioned officers are only paid at the rate of privates. If they are confirmed in their appointment as temporary non-commissioned officers they draw the difference in pay for the back period as if they had been appointed to the rank when they originally came into camp. 37. All non-commissioned officers appointed on probation with the Reinforcement drafts revert, if necessary, without prejudice to the rank of private when joining the Expeditionary Force. It would be obviously unfair to fill up the whole of the vacancies in the Expeditionary Force by men who had not had actual war service, and so to block promotion of promising men with war experience at the front.

Rank of officers in Trentham Camp.

Commissions from the ranks in Trentham Camp.

Preliminary training.

Officers for future requirements.

Registration.

System of selection by districts.

Calling up non-commissioned officers. Preliminary training.

Probationary appointment.

Status on joining Expeditionary Force at front.