Calling Up Britain's Millions

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 2, 3 January 1940, Page 7

Calling Up Britain's Millions

Effect of New Proclamation 2,000,000 MORE LIABLE FOR SERVICE (British Official Wireless) Received Tuesday, 9.30 p.m. RUGBY, Jan. 2. A proclamation under the National Service Armed Forces Act issued on Monday makes liable for service six ago groups. These bring men of 19 years, men who have attained 20 years since December 1, 1939, and men who on January 1, 1940, had reached 23, 24, 25, 26 or 27 years. The men of 19 will not, however, bo called up until they reach 20. The method adopted of making liable so many groups at once is mainly dictated by administrative convenience. The men will be called on to register by age groups, one group at a time, starting with men aged 23, while those who reached 20 since December 1, 1939, and those attaining that ago during 1940 will bo registered throughout the year. It is oxpectcd that about 2,000,000 men will be made liable for service under this proclamation and together with the 230,000 registered under the proclamation of October and the 240,000 under that of December 1, about 2,750,000 men including those called up by the pre-war Act have either joined or liavo been made liable to join the armed forces since the introduction of compulsory service. Although the group called up in October has not yet been completely absorbed in the services it is expected both this and that of December will be enlisted before the end of February, and the whole of tho new* classes will be with the Colours by the end of the present year. Tacoma’s Internment Ordered GERMAN PROTEST IGNORED Received Tuesday, 7.5 p.m. NEW YORK, Jan. 1. The New York Times’ Monte Video correspondent says it is expected the Tacoma will be beached inside the harbour on January 3 after arrangements for the crew’s internment arc completed. The internment was ordered despite a further German Note maintaining that the Tacoma was a merchant ship and not a naval auxiliary and that her assistance to the Graf Spce was merely humanitarian. When tho Note was presented the Tacoma was flying the war flag reserved for warships and naval auxiliaries. TACOMA TO BE DOCKED Received Tuesday, 11.40 p.m. NEW YORK, Jan. 2. The Uruguayan Foreign Minister (Senor Guani) stated that the Tacoma will be docked within the next two days “pending a decision as to her ultimate destination,” says tho Monte Video correspondent of tho Associated Press of America. The earlier statement by the port authority that the vessel will be docked is not explained.