TRAINED MEN IN SPECIAL FORCE

Evening Star, Issue 23372, 15 September 1939, Page 11

TRAINED MEN IN SPECIAL FORCE

NO STIPULATION AS TO UNIT OR RANK BUT TO BC POSTED TO OWH UNIT IF POSSIBLE [Per United Press Association , 'WELLINGTON. Setembcr 14. When the House met at 2.30 p.m. Mr J. A. Lee, on behalf of Mr Barnard, asked an,urgent question of the Minister of Defence—whether, in the ease of trained men in the specialist units of the Territorial Force volunteering for service, such men would bo allocated to the same type of specialist units, and also whether any rank field by such volunteers would continue to bo operative, with the corresponding rates of pay P The Minister, Mr Jones, in reply, said a man who enlisted for service in the Special Force could not be accepted for service in any particular unit, and the military authorities must retain the right to post or transfer him to any unit within the force. However, wherever possible, the man would ho posted to the unit in which ho had previous training. Previous n.c.o. rank in the Territorial Force was a very good recommendation for promotion in the Special Force, but in no way conferred a right on the man to he granted the rank in the Special Force. In other words, ho enlisted without any stipulation ns to the unit or rank in which he would servo. However, if the unit of the Territorial Force were called out for service he would retain his rank and appointment in that unit.