ARMY TANK BRIGADE

Camp News, Volume 2, Issue 92, 3 October 1941, Page 7

ARMY TANK BRIGADE

Mobilization Next Month

SELECTION OF MEN

Men for New Zealand’s first Army Tank Brigade will be mobilized about the middle -of next month, and it is expected they will carry out their training at Waiouru, where an ar moured fighting vehicle school has been established. A number of officers and non-commissioned officers went into camp there last week to undertake a special and intensive course in preparation for instructing other ranks. As with all Expeditionary Force mobilizations, each of the three military districts will be required to supply a proportion of the men.

Many of the men will be technicians and others with specialized mechanical and engineering knowledge which can readily be adapted to the driving and maintenance of tanks. In addition to these there will be the “nonexpert” recruits for training as members of crews and for various other tasks in eluded in any Army formation.

An interesting feature of the mobilization will be that big men will not be suitable for manning ’the tanks. When officers and non-commissioned officers were chosen a height limit of sft. lOin. was imposed, and while the needs of the brigade will not allow this restriction to be continued for technicians and others, such heights as 6ft. or over will probably cause some men ,o be passed over when they are called up A selection is now being made in preparation for the dispatch of mobilization notices to those concerned.