NEW ZEALAND’S ARMY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1511, 17 February 1916, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND’S ARMY.

MADE INTO A DIVISION

A NEW BRIGADE CREATED

The important announcement that the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the field has been converted into a division, was made by the Hon. James Allen, Minister ot Detence, on Monday. Previously the New Zealand Expeditionary Force only formed part of the New Zealand and Australian Division, which, with a separate Australian Division, formed the famous Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The New Zealand Force, however, has done little or no fighting since August last, and the result has been that reinforcements have accumulated in Egypt, besides which many sick and wounded men have returned from England and elsewhere physically fit and reported for duty. With the creation of the Rifle Brigade the New Zealand military authorities in Egypt have thus been able to convert the New Zealand Force into a complete division, which presumably will continue to operate with the ist Australian Division in the same Army Corps. In making his announcement the Minister stated

"The New Zealand troops at the front are being reorganised, and Cabinet has agreed to-day to the creation ot a New Zealand Division. This means the formation of a third Brigade out ot the infantry reinforcements now at the disposal of the officer commanding and other accumulations of infantry that are now available at the front.

“The question of reinforcements for the new Brigade is under consideration at the present time, but it is not expected that there will be need to call for men over and above the four-weekly drafts that are going forward at the present time. There are indications that the present total number of reinforcements will be sufficient, though it may be necessary to make some readjustment of the proportions. Some additional men will be wanted for the infantry, but probably a corresponding number can be deducted from other units. "I think that it will be very gratifying to the people of New Zealand to know that they are represented at the front by a complete division of their own. The mixed divisions that went to Gallipoli is to disappear. The Australians will form a new division of their own, andj the New Zealanders will constitute a distinct body in the way I have indicated.”

WHAT IT MEANS

The Minister’s announcement has created no small stir in military circles where the importance ot the decision is realised. In means in effect that New Zealand from now on will be maintaining in the field the biggest unit represented in the British Army. A DIVISION’S CONSTITUTION. The constitution of a division before the war was laid down as follows: — Other Officers. Ranks.

Total in the field 598 16,077 The equipment was as follows :

Horses: 1,577 riding, 4.347 draught, 237 pack —total 6161. Guns ; 54 iB-pounders, 18 4.5-inch howitzers, 4 60-pouuder, 24 machine-guns. Vehicles : 229 carts, 640 wagons, 9 motor cars, 277 bicycles, 9 motor cycles. Since the war the strength of a British division has been raised to approximately 20,000 officers and men. That of the New Zealand division presumably will be the same. ANOTHER ARTILLERY BRIGADE. As the New Zealand Expeditionary force at the front only includes 2 field artillery brigades and two howitzer batteries, it is probable that a third field artillery brigade will require to be raised out of the artillery reinforcements and returned men available. The same applies to the howitzer brigade. The New Zealanders, of course, have not got the guns, but can easily man them. THE MOUNTED RIFLES BRIGADE.

As an ordinary division only includes such a small proportion of mounted rifles, a good deal of curiosity has been aroused as to how the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, which fought so well on Gallipoli, has been disposed of. The answer is supplied in a statement made by the Commonwealth authorities in Melbourne last week. This was to the effect that the whole of the Light Horse Brigades now in Egypt, together with the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, have been formed into a mounted division, and placed under the command of an Australian officer, Brigadier-General H. G. Chauvel, C. 8., C.M.G., who has been promoted to the rank of MajorGeneral. The New decision therefore means that New Zealand, in addition to one complete division, will still be maintaining the original Mounted Rifles Brigade at the front, making a combined total of over 21,000 men. AMPLE ROOM FOR PROMOTIONS. A good deal of speculatiou is being indulged in as to who will receive the appointment of Brigadier ot the new infantry brigade. The creation of the new brigade, besides offering a new brigadiership, has likewise given wholesale opportunities tor promotion. Who will get the new battalions ? Doubtless those officers who have already done such splendid service with the original brigade will receive these appointments, and other officers will be promoted under their command. There will, however, not be enough officers to go round, and the balance required, probably the majority, will receive their promotions from the ranks.

DIVISION NOT YET COMPLETE.

The New Zealand Division, however, is not yet complete. It will not be so until the 3rd and 4th Battalions N.Z. Rifle Brigade, which marched the streets of Wellington and Auckland twelve days ago, arrive at their destination. The division then possibly will require to put in some little time in divisional training.

Headquarters 20 66 3 Infantry Brigades 372 11,964 Headquarter Div, Art, 4 18 3 Field Art. Brigades 69 2,298 1 Field Artillery (Howitzer) Brigade22 734 1 Heavy Battery and Ammunition Col. 6 192 1 Div. Ammun. Col. 15 554 Headquarters Div. Engineers 3 9 2 Field Cos. Engs. 12 422 1 Signal Company 6 157 2 Mounted Inf. Cos. 13 307 1 Divisional Train 26 030 3 Field Ambulance 30 726