SHARE IN DEFENCE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 15, 11 February 1942, Page 3

SHARE IN DEFENCE

HOME GUARD WORK

DIRECTOR-G EIXERAL'S SURVEY

The Home Guard is playing an important part in defence measures in this country. Valuable assistance is being continuously given in the relief, for leave purposes, of other branches of the home defence military forces, the construction of defence posts, night patrolling, and other ways. The Director-Gcncra) of the Home Guard, Brigadier R. Young, C.8., C.M.G., D.5.0., detailed the directions in which the use of Home Guard units on a voluntary basis by militai-3' districts / been authorised with the apof the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, and Army headquarters. Authority had been given, said Brigadier Young, for Home Guard units to supplement the Territorial Force and National Military Reserve units in operational tasks such as digging, wiring and so on, in other tasks regarded by officers commanding districts as essential and which could not be undertaken by mobilised territorial or National Reservfe units, and as reliefs to enable Territorial Force and National Reserve personnel to have the authorised week-end leave and furlough. They were two classes of duty. The iirst was unpaid shifts such as beach patrols or similar duty of less than 24 hours continuously in the guardsman's spare time and which did not interfere with his ordinary civilian work. Under the classification of paid shifts came continuous duty for 24 hours or more in coast watching, as

guards, vital points (both on the shift system), the relief of other home defence troops at week-ends, or assisting the latter with wiring, digging, and so on, at week-ends. There was also provision for partial mobilisation for continuous duty for one week up to continuous employment for an indefinite period according to requirements determined by officers commanding districts, coast watching, guards at vital points, occupation of defensive positions and support of other .home defence units. All duty undertaken was on a voluntarj* basis, said Brigadier Young. If a district required a certain number of Home Guardsmen for a job, then a unit, or units, were asked to supply them. Men who volunteered for duty that would take them away from their civil employment must get the consent of their employers, pay was at Territorial rates with the usual allowances. Brigadier Young said that for operational tasks at any considerable distance /rom guardsmen's districts, the Army would provide full maintenance service, transport and accommodation. He was confident that an important stage in the development of the Heme Guards had now arrived. It was being uniformed and equipped, nnd there was no excuse in ihis respect for a man who should do this :lutv now avoiding it. Enlistment was' voluntary and to meet any losses resulting from ballots for >ther branches of the defence forces reliance was being placed on the efforts of unifs to attract recruits, rhere was a good cadre of officers ind n.c.o.'s and with the support if those men "who could give ser■T?ee, the Home Guard should con;nue to develop in strength and ifficiency.