HOME DEFENCE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 202, 21 August 1940, Page 4

HOME DEFENCE

Sir—lt is good to see an ener-* getic Minister o£ the Grown like Mr Seraple. When lie speaks he acts but when lie- goes on to talk of garrison arn\ies it won't work, the farm- •' ersare.not able to leave for- , son duty without' neglecting the. production of foodstuffs. ; f Now whilst criticising the good work of our- Minister I must hfye something to, take its places Well here it is-: Jn the first place I want. the co-operation of the Returned Soldiers in their respective districts, to form Comman;dos or ' trained units of from 20 to 200. men these units to be drilled one , day or part of a day per week in their own locality. These units wo\ild be self-supporting and could be mobilised and consolidated at any given point in the minimum ' of time and moreover each unit would be conversant with the geographical part of the country from which it was drawn. This is essential in guerilla warfare .and all the Government would have to. do would he to find, aims and ammunition and the country will respond! to the call. In conclusion I would like to ■■■, quote Tennyson who when writing these lines must have been prop-* hetic. They were written May 9tli, 1859. Riflemen, Form! There is a sound , of thunder afar Storm in the south that darkens the day Storm of battle and thunder of wair Well if it does not roll our way . Storm, Storm, Riflemen Form! s Be not deaf to the sound that warns Be not gulled by a despots' plea / Are figs of thistles or grapes of ' thorns How should a despot set men free Form, Form! Reflemen Form! Ready be ready to meet the storm Riflemen, riflemen, riflemen, form. Let your Reforms for a moment go Look to your butts and take your aims Better a rotton Borough or so / ' Than a rotton fleet, or a city in . , flames ■ Form! Form; Riflemen form! Ready, be ready to meet the storm * r . ~ Riflemen, riflejnen, riflemen, form!Yours etc., No.. 1418 N.Z. M.R.S.AI-; .