SPECIAL FORCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20052, 26 September 1939, Page 14

SPECIAL FORCE

ASSEMBLY COMMENCING TRAINING CAMPS t QUOTAS ALLOTTED AREAS AND UNITS (Pur Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The concentration of the New Zealand Special Military Force commences to-day with the assembly of officers, warrant officers and noncommissioned officers at mobilisation camps in each military district. They will undergo a short intensive course of instruction and make all the necessary arrangements to take over the men of their units when the latter arrive in the camp a week later. The concentration of the rank and fib will start on October 3 and will be completed by the evening of October 6. Each man will receive orders when and where to report to proceed to camp.

In order that every unit of the territorial force may be given its proportionate representation in the special force, quotas have been allotted by army headquarters to the military districts and these quotas have in turn been sub-allotted to areas and units.

Corps Established

Training. camps have been established in each military district and the following list gives a location of the camps and units that will be quartered in each of the camps:

Northern Military District, Ngaruawahia: Divisional Cavalry Regiment (motorised), Headquarters Divisional Artillery, Field Regiment New Zealand Artillery headquarters, Divisional Engineers, Field Company New Zealand Engineers, Field Park Company New Zealand Engineers, Ist Rifle Battalion New Zealand Infantry, Divisional Ammunition Company, New Zealand Army Service Corps Reserve, Mechanical Transport Company (part) New Zealand Army Service Corps.

Central Military District, Trentham: G.H.Q. (first and second echelons), Divisional Headquarters, Headquarters Infantry Brigade, Divisional Signal Company, 2nd Rifle Battalion, New Zealand Infantry Headquarters, Divisional Army Service Corps, Divisional Petrol Company, New Zealand Army Service Corps Reserve, M.T. Company (part) New Zealand Army Service Corps, Divisional Postal Unit, Provost Company, Employment Piatoon, New Zealand General Base Depot, New Zealand Base Pay Office, New Zealand Base Post Office. Southern Military District, Burnham: 3rd Rifle Battalion New Zealand Infantry, 4th Machine-gun Battalion New Zealand Infantry, Divisional Supply Column, New Zealand Army Service Corps Reserve, M.T. Company (part), New Zealand Army Service Corps, Field Ambulance New Zealand Medical Corps, Field Hygiene Section New Zealand Medical Corps. The numbers quartered in the camps Will be: Ngaruawahia, 123 officers and 2432 other ranks; Trentham. 124 officers and 17U1 other ranks; Burnham, 98 officers and 2150 other ranks.

The Wellington recruiting figures for the special force last night were: Registered, 1733; examined, 1679; fit. 888 temporarily unfit, 549; permanently unfit, 242.