THE REINFORCEMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1297, 15 September 1914, Page 4

THE REINFORCEMENTS.

TO BE TRAINED AT TRENTHAM. The Defence* au'lioritics have issued the following partieal :i s relating to the reinforcements of the Expeditionary Force: Immediately >. 'ter the departure of the Expeditionary- Force steps .will be taken to prepare periodical reinforcement drafts which will be required from units as follows : —Twenty per cent, six weeks after the sailing of the Expeditionary Force; hvo per cent, monthly thereafter. Numbers are calculated for each unit, or portion of unit provided from the district for the Expeditionary Force, exclusive of tirot reinforcements. Each individual unit in the district must provide the officers and men required for the squadron, company, etc., with the Force originally, found from the unit. Actual numbers required will be indicated later. Officers and men will be selected front the volunteers for oversea service taken from the territorial force, rifle clubs, ex-volunteers and civilians. All men selected must be enrolled forthwith in the territorial force. Officers should be drawn from the Unattached Lists “A” and “B.” as well as from the territorial force; applications to servo as officers to be forwarded by units to District Headquarters. Officers commanding units will make their remarks and recommendations on each application when forwarding same. Any application received direct at Headquarters will be referred back to officer commanding units for report. To bo eligible for selection, officers and men must fulfil the following conditions: —(a) .Must have been trained (at least as provided for below); (b) Ho between the ages of 20 and 35; (c) Bo above 6ft 4in in height; (d) Be. loss than 12 stone in weight; (o) Re passed as medically (it for active mt vice. Preference should l>e given to unmarried men, and in the case of mounted men to those who bring horses and suitable saddlery with them to enable training to bo carried out. at camp. The saddlery may be purchased by tile Government, or returned to men’s homes if not further required. The horses will bo purchased by the Government. Officers and men selected for the reinforcement drafts will bo trained at a concentration camp to be formed at Trentham, under the orders of the Defence Department Headquarters, ‘Wellington. The course of training will last for 36 working days (6 weeks). A permanent camp Staff will be appointed by the Defence Department Headquarters. Wellington. The duties of the camp stall’ will be: —(a) To assist in training the officers and men of the reinforcement drafts; (b) To equip and prepare the drafts for embarkation ; (c) To deal with (he organisation, discipline, and routine ol the camp. Major C. R. .McDonald, Imperial General Staff (Auckland), will be detailed to attend for 10 days at the commencement of the course of instruction of each reinforcement draft in order to instruct the officers. ... The following instructions regarding the preparation of the drafts should bo adhered Infantry and Mounted Rifles. —The drafts must include the proper proportions of training specialists, 0.g., machine gunners, signallers, etc. Officers and non-cotnmis-sioned officers should bo instructed in semaphore. Artillery. —As far as possible every man should bo’ trained as a driver, w hether he is intended for a gunner or a driver. . Engineers. —Signallers will be trained in usual work and filling up of only. There is not sufficient equipment left to train men in cable waggon or telephone work. ■ i ■ Ambulances.—Men should Ik* trained in general duties. Specialist, training will be carried out during (he voyage. (8) Each man proceeding to Tiernham camp will bring with him rifle, cap, working suit, kit bak, ami sen kit, bug, to lie provided under arrangements made by District Headquarters, With this exception, men will ho fully equipped by_ the permanent camp staff. "Officers proceeding to the camp should be fully equipped for active service, as laid down in the Field Service Pocket Book, 1913. Units will call for names, ot volunteers and be prepared to send their quotas to the concent nil ion camp on receipt ot orders b, do ,-o. Every territorial unit should maintain a list, of volunteers, so that when drafts have to Ik* provided there will Ik* no delay in calling for names. Pav will be granted as laid down for the expeditionary force, ami will commence on the dav of arrival in the camp at Trentham. ’ Units will issue railway and steamer warrants from place of enlistment to Trentham, notifying District. Headquarters and Camp ("ommaticlajit. by telegram of the probable lime, of arrival of all drafts. Horses to replace wastage \sill ho furnished by a. central remount depot camp, to be formed under instructions to he issued later. The horses required for _ training tlie mounted men of the concentration camp will be obtained from the remount depot camp. All arrangements regarding the placing of ammunition on board the transports will be made by Defence Department Headquarters, Wellington. Notiiing contained in this order applies to the advance party of (he expeditionary force, under Colonel Logan. Volunteers should be warned that applications must Ik* ma do to their squadron Volunteers should bo warned that applications must be made to their squadron and company officers, or the nearest defence office, and that applications made through anv other channel will not bo received. Officers volunteering must do so through their commanding officer, and in cases of unattached lift “B” through their group officer. „