ARMY TRANSPORT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 14, 9 February 1942, Page 5

ARMY TRANSPORT

COMPLEX TRAINING PROBLEM t Mechanisation to a high degree is essential to the defence of New Zealand and the majority of the vehicles necessarjr to give the army in the Dominion speed of movement have been supplied through impressment . Referring to this the Minister of Defence (Mr Jones) stated that the possession of such a large number of vehicles brought a nurhber of problems. As far as possible men selected for drivers were already experienced in civil motoring, but they had to be given special training, involving assembly, driving and, dispersing as part of a large column, hiding and camouflaging vehicles, night driving with reduced lighting and with no lights at all. Considerable organisation was necessary to prevent wasteland irregularities. The Army system of control had been devised and tested over a number of years. Eacli vehicle has a running sheet which shows mileage, times, jobs and petrol and oil consumption. Internal cartage in the camps is controlled' by the Camp Commandant: bulk supplies to and from camps and ammunition in various parts of the country are in the hands of special Army Service Corps units. Other vehicles are not permitted to leave camps without permits. Military police patrols arc maintained in all districts to check the misuse of vehicles. These patrols may stop any military vehicle, examine its running sheet and obtain any required information concerning its employment. Patrol reports are examined in District or Camp Headuarters, and they are carefully checked to detect any irregularity or uneconomical running. "Until the new forces settle down and officers, n.c.o's and" the meTi concerned in the administration and! handling of army vehicles become experienced," Mr Jones went on, "there will be causes of uneconomical and irregular use of vehicles; » but these will be rapidly reduced. The human element is involved and one does not expect the Army to attain perfection any more than it is expected in civil life. The public will see many cases of apparent misuse of Army vehicles—the assembly of a number of vehicles where it might appear that one would be sufficient, empty vehicles on the road or trucks with small loads. Apart from the fact that empty trucks may be operating as part of training or be returning from repair shops, vehicles may come from, dispersed camps to collect pay cr mail where the use of one vehicle would be uneconomical of petrol and time. "All the time training is going on. and the Army must be sure that its drivers can carry out their duties' under the worst possible conditions if necessary. Thus a good deal of practice is essential. The Army will learn through its mistakes and by the investigation of apparent irregularities reported by patrols, officers, n.c.o.'s and the general public. Anyone observing what appears to be an irregularity in the use of Army vehicles, including dangerous? or inconsiderate driving," said Mr Jones, "is invited to report the oc- - currcnce to the nearest Army office or camp, giving time and place, number of the vehicle and the direction in which it was travelling. All stich. reports will be investigated immediately. In this waj* „the public will assist the Army in the difficult task of developing a highly efficient mechanical transport service in the shortest possible time for the defence of the country."