THE HOME GUARD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 34, 17 December 1943, Page 4

THE HOME GUARD

READERS thoughts at the signing off of the Home Guard will recall the first informal parades, when the movement was secretly scoffed at by the army and politely tolerated by the Government. In our own town the best boost the* Guard received in the early days was in early 1941 when an impressive parade of 1250 all ranks marched past in Luxton's paddock Awakeri. The Guard has had many vicissitudes since then and the compulsory days when uniforms and equipment were issued created a civilian army which had probably as fine a sense of patriotic morale and fellowship as could be found anywhere. Manoeuvres, camps, parades, and alarms have all played their part in moulding the sense of understanding which has arisen, and many a businessman to-day owes much of his success to the new found friends he won in the ranks of the H.G. Simple and perhaps from a military viewpoint, to a certain extent vaudevillean there are hundreds in this district who thoroughly enjoyed the training and will treasure its memories.

Interesting Scout Trophy The 'Silver link' trophy which was presented to the winning patrol of. the Citizens Scout troop last Monday evening has an interesting and rather inspiring history. It consists of two plated .iron Jinks 1 rom the /London Underground Railway and "was forwarded to the Wluikatane by the Hounslow troop as a gesture of goodwill from D.S.M. Stan Miller's original English troop.

Concrete Footpath Desired Twenty-one residents of llaig Street petitioned the Whakutane Borough Council at its meeting last Monday evening asking for the formation of a concrete footpath On the southern side of the street. The council decided to advise, the' ratepayers that their request •would be cous.dereu when the estimates for the new year were, under consideration.