THE CITIZEN ARMY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1224, 5 September 1911, Page 2

THE CITIZEN ARMY.

POSTING THE RECRUITS. DISTRICT COMMITTEES APPOINTED. A circulnr memorandum lias boon prsparrd by the Director of Military Operations and Intelligence (Lieul.-Colonel J. T. Hui'iielt-Shinrt, D.5.0., Imperial General KM), wherein ;iro fully explained the methods which are -to )k followed in connection with the posting of the recruits who have now been registered and rcltirnc-d as being medically (it, to the various units of. our ucw citizen army. 'Jlie memorandum ,st;iles—to mention the ]K)in(s of general interest—that the work of posting in each area-group will be carried out by the Posting Committee, composed of a president (the officer in charge of the area-group) and the following members:—Tho adjutants of tho mounted rifle regiments concerned; tho adjutant nf the field artillery brigade or an odiecr cf the Koyal Kew Zealand Artillery, detailed to act for his (in district groups from which men for lk'ld or mountain artillery units or engineer units aro drawn); the stalf-ofliccr to the coast detence commander (in district groups from which men ;or garrison artillery units are 1 drawn); the stall' officer for senior cadets; a permanent officer to be detailed by the officer commanding the district to carry out the posting to the medical units in the district (in district groups from which men for the medical units are drawn). There will also attend the area sergeantmajors of the group and the sergeantinstructors of units concerned. The president and members, while acting as executive posting officers, will be responsible for representing the news of their respective commanding officers. Tho posting officer for niedical units will represent the views of tho principal medical officer of the district. As some of tho nlsovementioned officers and warrant officers are concerned in tho work of posting in more than one area-group, the dates of sitting of the Posting Committees must l:o arranged so as to ensure the attendance in each case of all concerned. The Posting Commirteo will assemble under district arrangements, as soon as the medical examination is sufficiently advanced to admit of the posting bring undertaken. A programme showing the proposed dates of sittings of the different Posting Committees in each district must be forwarded to headquarters as soon as arranged. Problems to be Faced, "It is of courso realised," states the memorandum, "that it iuay not bo possible to carry out at once in its entirety the principle of allotting every soldier aud cadet to a drill centre within one hour's journey of where he lives; it is inevitable that a few must be outside this radius; but this detailed development of tho organisation must l>3 borne in mind by those responsible for the posting. It 'is not, however, necessary to complicate the maps now being asked for by endeavouring to show on them the allotment of each individual to a definite drill centre. Nevertheless, it must be clearly understood that every man must now, for purposes of administration, bo posted definitely lo a squadron, battery, company, section of an ambulau:e, etc.; until this is done, ho cannot be enrolled, clothed, and armed. The question of how men beyond the radius of compulsory attendance from a drill centre aro to l>o trained must be for the further consideration of the regimental aud company," etc., authorities; such .cases can only bo solved by the exercise of ingenuity on the part of those intimately acquainted with local conditions. There is a solution to be found in every such case if it is sought. "Tho driil centres must bo shown, and must be carefully chosen. The moro closely the drill centres of the various arms can bo made to coincide, tho greater will bu the facilities for training, sinco the visits of the permanent instructors will bo the moro easily arranged; also, since much of the preliminary training required at ordinary drills in common to the different arms, members of the different arms will often bo able to attend and bo, drilled simultaneously at the same centre. Each'.lattery, garrison artillery company, field company of engineers, and signal company should bo. drawn from ono centre, as it-is necessary'to their.efficiency that they should train as unils. This ia not the case with field ambulances, tho organisation of which should include section centres, so as to provide for tho inclusion of men in outlying districts. Ammunition columns should not be recruited up to more than a quarter of their establishment. "It is realised that tho posting carried out by tho committees must remain subject to some alteration as regards the interior organisation of units. The final adjustments will bo made gradually by regimental authorities, who will, of courre, be <it liberty to fronsfc individuals from squadron to squadron, or company to company, etc., within their units in order to facilitate attendanco at drills and parades. Any modifications in the boundaries of areas and area-groups that may have been rendered advisable by the distribution of the population as vevealed by the registration returns will be mado at this stage. Enrolling tho Army.' "The enrolment in the Territorial Force will (hen bo carried out. The per. sonal record books of (hosu not passed as pliysically fit, either permanently 01 for tho current'year, will be sent to tho registered holders, the duplicate record books being retained by tho officer in charge of the area-group. The posting officers will then—(l) notify each man of tho unit or units for whkh they aro scv. orally responsible as lo the company, squadron, etc., to which lie is posted, and the name of his company, etc., commander (post-card forms for this purpose are being supplied); (2) furnish eLich company, etc., commander with a nominal roll of those posted to his company, etc. Tho record books (both personal and duplicate) of such men will be ant with tho roll. If possible, a copy of the map showing the boundaries of tlw vnit and of tho company, etc., areas should alsx) be sent. Tlio services of area, sergeant-majors of Hie group and sergeant-instructors will bo distributed lo the bast advantage among the posting ofiicers. ■ Voluntary clerical assistance from Territorial officers and non-commissioned officers should bs invited and gratefully accepted.'' As scon as tho above, matters have l>een duly attended to ond completed in each group, a. report to that effect will l>e sent to district headquarters. The enrolment of the senior cadets will then commence, the service of area sergeant-majors being placed at the disposal of the stall officer for senior cadets for that purpose, who will now issue to area sergeant-majors his instructions, which he should have pre- . pared while the enrolment in tho Territorial Force was proceeding. These instructions will include—-The maps showing the postings to senior cadet companies in each area as finally approved; tho name and address of every "senior c.idot company commander in each area; and any other necessary instructions. Finally, each area sergeant-major will, take for his own area Uie stens previously taken in-lhe easo of the Territorial ITorro by the responsible officers, and complete Fonii 111 of the personal record lwoks 'except the oath), sign them, and forward them to tho company commander; notify each ■ boy, on the post-card form supplied for the purpose, as to the company to which ho is. posted, and the name of his company commander; and furnish each commander with a nominal roll of (hoso posted to his company. The General's Appreciation. "The general officer commanding wishes to particularly impress upon district commanders the importance of the posting and enrolment, and tho necessity of seeing that it is methodically and carefully carried out. District commanders should visit each area-group headquarters in their district at least once while the posting is in progress, and should use their stiffs for the, same purpose. These and previous iiisfriiciions have Ix-ni mails as comprehensive as it is pos-iblo to make them for general application. Hut tho" strictly geographical nature of the organisation necessitates decentralisation, and calls for tho exercise of judgment and initiative on the part of all concerned. The p».s-tinp, p'lr&lmunt, and equipment of the forces must, from the present timo until they arc completed, take precedence over all else. The general ofheer commanding wishes to express his entire satisfaction with the manner in which the officers of tho New Zealand SlalF Corps and the warrant and non-commissioned officers of the Permanent Staff havo carried out their difficult task up to tho present time." '