DISCIPLINE ESSENTIAL IN OUR FORCES

Camp News, Volume 3, Issue 124, 29 May 1942, Page 2

DISCIPLINE ESSENTIAL IN OUR FORCES

This article, written for “Smith’s Weekly Newspaper by “Ordnance” equally applies to us here in New Zealand and is worthy of study by everyone.—Editor.

Nothing is more soul destroying than ignorance. To mislead our people intenti onally or otherwise is to render great disservice. In our extremity, ALL the 1 and forces we have available will be utilised in the common strugg le. Our clear duty is to avoid doing or saying anything in any circumstances that will impair their fighting efficiency and morale.

Natural tendency is to avoid all forms of discipline and control. But, without discipline, there is no order. No effort can be directed towards a single end. Without organisation, an army is not an army. It is a helpless mass ripe for the slaughter. As we cannot defend ourselves without armed forces, we must have control. Organisation is, therefore, necessary, and discipline is essential. Discipline obtains in every phase of our civil life, and it is not too gently administered either. Without it, there would be no individual freedom. Noone would be safe from molestation by the ignorant and evil-minded in our community. . We cannot afford to overlook the fact that our armies consist mainly of civilians in uniform, hurriedly trained to various stages. We had no regular army, such as Germany or Nippon, to form a basis of expansion. Therefore, army discipline is little understood by our people generally. We must also admit that administration of discipline is not always based on the soundest experience. This is unfortunate, but inevitable. Nevertheless, army efficiency depends entirely on the intellectual discipline of the troops. Discipline cannot be had for the asking. It has to be ingrained in all ranks from highest to lowest. Discipline is mental. That is why the Hitler youth was fed from the cradle with a form of propaganda that placed the State before the individual, and instilled into the minds of the young men of the nation, the necessity for swift and whole-hearted obedience to a central military control. Unless we delude ourselves, we cannot claim discipline to have been an

outstanding feature in all the troops we have raised for service in this war. Having decided on the voluntary system as a basis for overseas service, we had to get the volunteers. We had to be careful in conseqeunce to avoid all adverse criticism of them. Charitable tolerance and leniency — though perhaps necessary in the circumstances—were not conducive to the proper education of the soldier. That we obtained any discipline at all reflects to the credit of cur general behaviour. While every attempt is made to foster discipline, by inspiration, leadership and training, punishments is at times no less necessary in army than in civil life. Contrary to general opinion, military courts-martial contain many more safeguards for the accused than obtain under our civil jurisdiction. Commanding officers are desirous of one thing, and that is having the most efficient unit. Their problems are many and varied, and their tasks colossal. To examine the intricate structure of a modern battalion group —be it German, Japanese, Russian, or Australianis to realise the responsibility of such a command. Any tendency to lack of discipline lends no encouragement to Commanders in their task. It is the nation’s duty to help them. Thoughtless publicity, often ill-founded, which tends to break down discipline in our armed forces, makes the task of those who have to fight our battles none the easier. ular cry. “Let us know the facts as they are, no matter how unpleasant they may be.” Obvious answer is, “Let us be told the truth,” is a pop-

who may do this, and hope to remain in any position of authority? It is not so easy to swim against the tide of any public sentiment, no matter how illogical its origin. Mafeking was exaggerated as a glorious epic for a generation before all the circumstances of the siege became known. For long it lent its name to any wild public excitement and hysterical celebration. , We may not now rely on assumptions of happenings overseas, or on one-sided tales. Real value must be discovered, not imagined. There can be no greater mistake than to accept methods applicable in one theatre of war to be equally useful in another. The steppes of Russia, the deserts of Libya and Cyrenaica, the flat forests and jungles of Malaya, present different problems demanding varying solutions. No one experience is applicable to all, and none should be over-stressed in the defence of Australia.

Not all of our troops who went overseas, have yet fought in any theatre. So things expressed as result of experience, should only be taken in their relative value to the war as a whole. If we are to face the facts we speak about, we must discount the rubbish talked about “barrack square” drill. Whether barrack square drill is considered good, bad, or indifferent, our people should know that not one of our universal service personnel in the whole Australian Force has ever seen a barrack square. No level “all-wea-ther” square exists in any camp in Australia. Whatever may have been the reason for our lack of success in many operations ’overseas, everyone must see that some day we must “get to holts” with our enemy. We will have to attack him with vigour and tenacity. We will need to be unrelenting in our assaults. We will require the combined effort of all arms and services. (To be continued)