PART OF ARMY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 172, 23 July 1942, Page 4

PART OF ARMY

HOME GUARD IS IN

EQUIPMENT IMPROVING

A minor item in army routine orders recently marked the close of one phase and the opening of a newer and, it is hoped, brighter phase for the Home Guard. It set out that the phrase "army and Home Guard" must no longer be used. The Home Guard is part of the armv and recognised as such. The Home Guard has won that recognition on its merits and in the face of innumerable difficulties and disappointments. As a unit it has been in existence since the latter part of 1940 and it was actually taken over by the army .last August. The item in orders indicates, however, the changing viewpoint. Promise Becomes Reality There are other indications that the Home Guard is now on the upward road. The major one, of course, lies in the recent transference of men from the E.P.S. to the Home Guard and the compulsory recruitment of other men. The manpower committees are still functioning in this regard, but already a substantial number of postings have been made. There are still difficulties to be overcome in building up the strength of some battalions, but the position is improving. The second indication lies in the way that uniforms and equipment are now coming forward. There was a time, not so long ago, when some battalions had no rifles at all. All now have some arms, and some are well equipped in this way. That equipment (foes not consist only of rifles, but also of automatic weapons, including Tommy guns, and various types of machineguns. A number of battalions are also equipped with 3-inch mortars, and some have 6-inch mortars. To say that the position is promising in this regard might be to create misunderstanding. So many things have been in the "promising" stage throughout the his ory of the Home Guard! Nevertheless, there is room for optimism this time. The mounting total of equipment now to hand shows how promise is becoming reality. And there is another indication still. Recently there has been a change made in the administration of each unit. Each battalion now has a permanently mobilised adjutant-quartermaster and a warrant officer who combines the functions of regimental sergeantmajor and regimental quartermastersergeant. In the past a great deal of Home Guard organisation was done voluntarily by Home Guard officers and n.c.o.'s in their spare time. They are still prepared to do this, but the period had come in many cases when these enthusiasts no longer could spare that time. It is hoped by Guardsmen that the new appointments will assist materially in overcoming some of the difficulties that have presented themselves to their units. Among those hopes is the question of transport, particularly as it affects outlying units, whose training in some cases has suffered as a result.

In the training aspect good progress has been made in all units. Practically all battalions have now had week-end camps and in some cases there have been three-monthly camps, with the members going in in groups for a fortnightly period of training. Some units are, of course, further ahead than others. Stocked Storerooms Although there have been big changes in personnel since the first Home Guard units were formed— many "originals" are now in the N.Z.E.F. or in territorial units—the enthusiasm of the men has not diminished, as will be apparent to anyone who has sat near a group of Guardsmen in tram, bus or ferry. What that has meant to the various units is exemplified in their storerooms, described by one officer as "eye-opening." He told of one such store he had seen in the north that was fiUed up with cooking material, first aid equipment, a certain amount of "concertina" wire and materials for the manufacture of more, and hundreds of hand grenades. All of these were ready to go out at a moment's notice. Since there was a fatal accident at a southern training camp the making of home-made hand grenades had not been encouraged, he pointed out, and —taking the long view—this was wise. The home-made ammunition was being replaced with standard pattern munitions. It was evident that it would be better if the Guard was fighting side by side with other units that they should use standard equipment. Officers and n.c.o.'s have been undergoing training courses at the district school in large numbers and these men have transmitted what they have learned to their units, so that the basis of training is the same now in the Guard as what it is in the fully mobilised units of the army.

It is stated authoritatively that the reports on Home Guard personnel who have been through the school have been uniformly good. It has been pointed out, in many cases, that in point of view of enthusiasm the Home Guardsman trainees at the school have eclipsed other trainees.