SPECIAL FORCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20094, 14 November 1939, Page 5

SPECIAL FORCE

SECOND ECHELON STATEMENT WANTED SLOW RECRUITING Apart from the fact that officers' names have been made available for publication, no official announcement dealing with the second echelon of the Special Military Force has yet been made, but preparations for the accommodation of more men arc going ahead at Trentliam.

Last Wednesday 27 commissioned officers for the second echelon posted to Trentham marched into camp, where they have commenced a special course of intensive instruction at the reopened Central District School of Instruction.

On the outbreak of war nearly nil the huts in the old Trentham Camp were filled with ordnance stores, but they are being cleared as rapidly as possible and are apparently being prepared for occupation by troops.

Although actual figures are not available, it may be assumed from published details of enlistments for the special force that there are already available several hundred recruits for the second echelon, but if its strength is to be anytvhere comparable with that of the first echelon it is obvious that a considerable increase in the recruiting rate will be necessary if the quota is to be filled under the present voluntary system.

Strength of Second Echelon

According to a statement made several week's ago by Iho officer commanding the southern military district, the second echelon is to be approximately the same strength as the first. No confirmation of this is available from Army headquarters, but it is understood that the second echelon will be somewhat smaller than the force now in training.

For several weeks now, particularly since the first echelon entered camp, the rate of enlistment throughout the Dominion lias slowed almost to a standstill, although recruiting offices are still open. As far as can he gathered from wide inquiries in Wellington amongst the young men who may be looked upon as potential recruits, this slowing down of recruiting is not due to general apathy, but to the fact thai many men who are willing to offer their services are not prepared to make the sacrifice almost invariably involved until some official intimation is given soiling out the position regarding the second echelon and the Dominion's real war requirements generally.

Overseas Service? It is also widely staled' that many young men would volunteer immediately if they knew their services wore wanted overseas, but they are reluctant to offer themselves if it will mean a return to civil life following a period in camp. It, is also known that many of the men who have already enlisted and been passed as fit have not been called up because they are engaged in' “reserved occupations.’' There is a

general wish that t'ne occupations in this category should be made public, but it cannot be denied that sound arguments exist for official reticence on this subject. One such objection is that if the reserved occupations were known many men, in their desire to serve, might defeat the object; of this reservation by giving a misleading description of their civil work.— Wellington Post.