THE HOME GUARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24405, 17 September 1940, Page 8

THE HOME GUARD

IMPORTANCE OF TASK ADDRESS BY GENERAL YOUNG The importance of the task assigned to the Home Guard and the role it may be called upon to fill in the defence of New Zealand were referred to by the commanding officer, Majorgeneral R. Young, C. 8., C.M.G., D. 5.0., at the annual smoke concert of the Wellington Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's Association. “In the last war we did not need a Home Guard,” he said. “In the last war we had one problem—to get our troops overseas to win the war overseas: That is still, in my opinion, our main problem.” In this war. unlike the last, 1 New Zealand was faced with the problem of home defence, he said. Everyone knew what was happening in England now, but most of the people in New . Zealand had never seen a bomb dropped or a shot fired. If an emergency arose and it became necessary to evacuate the cities, the men of the Home Guard, who had seen service ■" in the last war. would stand fast and prevent any panic. “ Suppose we temporarily lose control of the Pacific,” said General Young, “ all we can expect is a hit-and-run raider. If at some stage we lose control of the sea until such time as America or our own people can come to our aid, I can see some people becom'ing downhearted and saying, • What is the use of having our cities destroyed? ’ We can hang on here if we can get our cities evacuated. This country is a country we can defend, but we must have organisation. “If this Home Guard is to be of any use, the men we get hold of must stick to it. If this fellow who may attack us does not come along for six months or twelve months, we must see it through. The Home Guard must ceaselessly watch the whole of the coastline to guard against surprise attack.” If an enemy should come in a cruiser or an aeroplane carrier on a hit-and-run raid, it would be the task of the Home Guard to hold that enemy until the terirtorial forces could take over. He believed that, if the Home Guard were organised on the right lines, the young fellows in the territorials would know they had their fathers behind them. • . . . „ “ I think I will have the backing of all the commercial people of New Zealand.” Major-general concluded. “I will give those of you who feel you can come along something useful to do. Who would not. rather die than live witji a broken heart under a foreign flag? - J :