QUOTA NOT FILLED

Evening Star, Issue 23379, 23 September 1939, Page 12

QUOTA NOT FILLED

RECRUITING FOR SPECIAL FORGE DEFICIENCY OF SCO Efforts are being made by the Army authorities to fill the local quota of the special force being raised for service at home or abroad. From the southern military district 2,200 officers and men were required, but up to Thursday there were still 20 officers and 918 men needed to bring the strength up to the establishment. The arrange-, ments are for the officers to proceed to the mobilisation camp at Burnham on Wednesday. The non-commissioned officers will also go into camp nest week, and the remainder of the force will commence training on October '3. When the medical boards completed their examinations on Wednesday it was discovered that the deficiencies in the four areas comprising the southern military district were;— Area 9 (Nelson) ... ... 121 Area 10 (Canterbury) ... 338 Area 11 (Otago) 301 Area 12 (Southland) ... 158 Total ... 918 ■ In Dunedin a number of those who have registered at the Drill Hall have still to be examined by the medical board. Those desiring to be included in the first draft were to have their final opportunity of before the board this afternoon, when it was hoped to deal with a good number of the remaining applicants. The registrations yesterday numbered 18, and these are classified in groups No. 1 (officer's on' the reserve or active list), No. la (retired or exofficers), No. 2 (single men), No. 3 (married men without children), and No. 4 (married men with children). Those registering yesterday were:— DUNEDIN. —Group I. Lieutenant-commander William Cullen. . Captain Leslie Archibald Joseph. Flying Officer Clarence'Arthur Umbers. —Group 2. Jack Henry Guthrie, Walter Russell Lowthcr, Robert Marshall, lan Cassells Peterson, William Edward Sandford (Moa Creek), Gordon Frame Thomson (Green Island), Alfred Henry AVhite (Middlemarch). —Group 3. John Alfred Cowie (Lindin Valley). —Group 4. Robert James Dickison, Davis George Ensor, Thomas Edward Griffin (Hawea Flat),- Robert Edwin Hill (Waipori Falls), James Jelley, Walter Leslie Kedzlie (Waihola), Bernard Roderick Mathieson (Mosgiel).

YOUNG BATTALION COMMANDERS Two unusually young officers have been appointed to the senior posts in the southern command’s quota of New Zealand’s Special Force for service-at home or abroad. They are Lieutenantcolon. 1 Howard Karl Kippenberger, of Rangiora, who is to command the Rifle Battalion, and Major Gordon Rufus Lee,'6f Timaru, who is to command the Machine-gun Battalion. Lieutenant-colonel Kippenberger is. 42 years of age and has commanded the Ist Battalion, Canterbury Regiment, since 1936. His first military experience was with the Christchurch Boys’ High School Cadets, which he joined in 1911. He first joined' the Canterbury Regiment as a private soldier in 1916, leaving on active service with the 13th Reinforcements. ; Wounded in France, he was invalided home in 1917. .In 1924 he was appointed second lieutenant on probation. Promotion followed speedily. He was a lieutenant in 1926, a captain in 1929. a major in 1934, and lieutenant-colonel in 1936. Lieutenant-colonel Kippenberger is a solicitor practising at Rangiora. A younger brother is Squadronleader R. L. Kippenberger, who has for the past. 10 years served with the Royal Air. Force. Promoted to his present rank at the age of 29, Major Lee is one of the youngest majors in. the New Zealand Territorial Forces. Serving as a cadet with the Timaru Boys’ High School, he joined the Canterbury Regiment, becoming a lance-corporal in 1926. He was first appointed to commissioned rank in 1927, promoted lieutenant in 1929, captain in 1932,' and major in 1937. Major Lee, who was recently appointed to the position of secretary of the Timaru Harbour Board, is an expert in the machine-gun arm.