CIVIL DEFENCE

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 241, 13 October 1942, Page 3

CIVIL DEFENCE

C0-0RDINATING ALL SERVICES WORK OF E.P.S. ORGANISATION. ADDRESS BY COLONEL CHURCHWARD. Speaking to the Blenheim Rotary Club yesterday, Colonel W. T. Churchward, Regional E.P.S. Controller for the Southern Military District, had some important things to say about the effect of "total war" on the civilian population. The strategy of modern war, he said, had changed, not only in degree, but in kind. Pormerly the armed forces had borne the brunt of the struggle and the civilian population though burdened with inconveniences and heavy sacri--fices, had not themselves suffered directly. To-day aircraft attacks brought civilians in ever-increasing degree into the actual hostilities. "Enemy air attack has four main objectives," said Colonel Churchward. "First, the destruction of shipping, shipyards, aerodromes, ammunition and armament factories, and military supplies generally. Second, the destruction of national services. Third, the disruption of a country's military and civil organisation; and fourth, the demoralisation of the civil population.'' Absoiute security from air attacx could not be guaranteed by any known defensive measures, since some attacking planes were bound to gst through, the speaker said. However the dangers could be greatly reduced if the people and essential services were properly warned, trained and protected beforehandx. The Air Force and A.A. defence coulci do much, but much more should be done by the Civil Defence Services — the Fourth Arm. Civil Defence must be eo-ordinated, in total war, with the efforts of the fighting services so that all work together in the national effort. The civil defence services, like the others, working for security, were responsible for the protection of the civil population and national services from the effects of air, sea or land bombardment. The security of a nation might depend on the security of the Home Front, upon the en - durance and discipline of civilians. Some countries had collapsed because of the unpreparedness of civilians to meet these new emergencles. The duty of the Civil Defence Service was to protect life and limb, all forms of national services and all property generally. With proper planning and thorough training, the Civil Defence Services could give this protection. "Civil defence in New Zealand is based on British experience," Colonel Churchward declared. "There the term is A.R.P. Here it is E.P.S., but tlm term Civil Defence covers all their activities. To ensure proper civil defence units must be trained and organised thoroughly, especially in towns and they must provide information and instruction to civilians so that the latter can protect themselves and their families; for example precautions against explosive and incendiary bombs, fire protection, anti-gas precautions and elementary first aid. "The flrst objective of Civil Defence is to organise and train E.P. services known as civil E.P.S. and others relating to national services, known as Government E.P.S." Each civil E.P.S. is for a definite area with a Central Committee to form units of various branches, such as Wardens, Medical, Fire-fight-ing, Communications, Works, Evacuation, Lighting and Harbour, each under a Unit Controller. These have attained a fair standard of efficiency throughout New Zealand. In May last, the speaker continued, the Government appointed a Regional Commissioner for each Military District. The South Island was a single Military District, but for Civil Defence purposes it was divided into six districts, each under one Controller. All the E.P.S. in a District came under the .Controller and all the District Controllers were under the Regional Commissioner. The function of the latter was to bring about complete understanding between the armed and civil defence forces *so that in an emergency the operations of all would be co-ordi-nated, the Commissioner forming a connecting link between the two branches and also with the Government E.P.S., which dealt with hospitals, railways, communications, broadcasting, etc. "Another object of the Civil Defence Services is to eonvey information based on British experience to the public, so that they will be prepared to do their part in an emergency," the speaker went on. "This information includes precautions against explosives, incendiaries and gas, the best form of shelters and how to disperse in a raid, light control and generally how best to meet an attack. The press, pamphlets and oral instruction from

Wardens should teach the public how best to act during and after an attack. Very full, up-to-date informa tion has been supplied and there is no excuse for anyone being without the necessary knowledge. The In-spector-General of Civil Defence in Britain said: 'The civilian's best weapons against air attack are intelligent foresight and preparedness and full confidence in the form of

protection provided.' I think it may be stated that New Zealand has planned well, that the Civil Defence Services have created a state of preparedness in most places and that the public have confidence in the form of protection provided. There is still more to do, especially in respect of training, but the organisation is in being and is becoming progressively more efficient." The work of co-ordinating the Civil Defence and Fighting Services was progressing, said the speaker. The E.P.S. would do many things that in their absence the Army would have to do. This co-operation would have to become more complete. A complete system of warning signals had been prepared by the Fighting Services and when a state of emergency was signalled, all Civil Defence Services would immediately come into operation and all personnel wouid take up battle stations. They would be ready to play their part and injury and loss of life and property would be reduced to a minimum. They would, the speaker believed, be able to carry out their great objective, security on the Home Front. In conclusion Colonel Churchward quote d the words of Britain's Civil Defence Chief, after the worst of the blitz had been endured: "I have no hesitation whatever in saying that the Civil Defence Services in Great Britain played a major part in defeating the German attempt to deliver a knock-out blow during the Battle of Britain." "And," Colonel Churchward declared, "if an enemy attacks this country by air or in vasion, our Civil Defence Services will play their part in co-operation with the Fighting Services, in breaking such an attack."