ARMY CHAPLAINS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 253, 20 July 1921, Page 6

ARMY CHAPLAINS

DEPARTMENT REORGANISED RELATIVE RANK ABOLISHED It was recently indicated that the Defence Department intended -to reorganise tho New Zealand Army Chaplains Department. A General Headquarters Inst ruction issued yesterday states that pending the issue of a revised edition of regulations for the New Zealand military forces, tho following instructions governing the Chaplains Department will bo followed as from August 1:—

Tho Army Chaplains’ Department will ba divided into two sections, viz., an Act ive List and a Reserve List. The Active List will consist of those chaplains who will bo required for duty with tho various units of the Territorial force on mobilisation. The Reserve will consist of the remaining Territorial chaplains, who will be available lor duty as required, either to fill vacancies occurring in units on or after mobilisation, or for attachment to additional units which may 1» organised after the outbieak of war.

The number of Territorial chaplains on the Active List will be governed by establishments which will Ire published from time to time. For the present this number is limited io the following in each regimental district:—Church of England, 5; Roman Catholic, 2; Presbyterian, 3; Methodist, 2; other denominations, 1; Salvation Army, 1; to be appointed by the Chaplains Board to carry out duties with, definite units of tho Territorial force and Cadets. Only chaplains who are (a) medically fit for general service, (b) below the following maximum age limit—4th class 45, 3rd class 50, 2nd class 55, Ist class GO —will be eligible for appointment to tho Active List. Tho Reserve List of the Army Chaplains Department will not bo limited as to number—it will be open both to chaplains who already hold commissions on the Active List, but who are surplus to establishment, and to clergymen who do not at present -hold such commissions, but are willing to accept liability for service with the Territorial force on mobilisation. Clergymen holding commissions in the New Zealand Army Chaplains Department, whether on the Active List or in the Reserve, will have the same liability for service in the event of an emergency as other Territorial force officers. When called up for duty they will receive tho pay and allowance of Territorial officers of corresponding 'ln peace time, in addition to attending camps when required, chaplains will be’ expected to interest themselves in the general welfare of any Territorial force and Cadet units in thoir neighbourhood. and will also render any service in their power to soldiers of the permanent forces and to ex-soldiera of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. A chaplain shall, by virtue of his appointment, be an officer of the New Zealand military forces, and shall be commissioned as such, but shall not IwM any rank other than that of chaplain. All chaplains shall cease to hold relative rank as from August 1, 1921. Chaplains shall be divided into first, second, thud and fourth classes. The rank of chapla n shall for precedence, correspond with other' ranks, according to the foßowing °' a le ..-Chaplain Ist class corresponds with colonel; chaplain 2nd ponds with lieut.-colonel; chaplain 3rd class .corresponds with major; eh aplain fourth class corresponds with captain. The following distinctions will*be worn on the forage cap to denote the various classes of chaplains:—lst class, one row of gold oakleaf embroidered on 1 b c ™-A-- °nd class, one row of plain Sl&J(th wleo of peak; 3rd class, one row of gold braid i-inch wide on. lower edge of peak; 4th class, plain peak. formed The Board of Chaplains will be formed in each command consisting of. ( ) Church of England, three representatives- (2) Roman. Catholic, two representative,: (3) Non-Episeopal denominations. four representatives. The fuM tions of these boards will 110 to ad \ s ,, the O.C. command concerned on matters concerning s the Chaplains Department in their respective commands. ’I Chaplains Board will, as far ns possible be composed of Chaplains who hold senior positions in their respective religious denominations.