NATIONAL MILITARY RESERVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24415, 28 September 1940, Page 5

NATIONAL MILITARY RESERVE

LOCAL ARTILLERY- SECTION DECISION TO DISBAND After having carried out steadytraining for approximately 12 months and acquired a considerable degree of efficiency, the class I, National Military Reserve, artillery section, which was formed in Dunedin about the middle of last year, has decided to disband. This decision was reached at the last parade of the unit at the Central Battery on Thursday, when it was made apparent that it was highly improbable that guns and equipment would continue to be available for, training purposes, as all material was required by the territorial forces which are at present in camp. With the establishment of the National Reserve Battalion of Infantry and the proposal to form a Home Guard, the local artillery unit, which was the last surviving group of the original National Military Reserve in the Dominion to continue regular training, sought a definition of its status from the military authorities and forwarded a request to the Minister ot Defence (Mr F. Jones) that it should be given official recognition. The Minister was informed that the unit desired to preserve its identity if possible. A reply was received from the Minister on Thursday that it would not be advisable for the unit to attempt to proceed with its training, as all equipment would be required for use by the territorial forces, and it was therefore reluctantly decided to disband the section. Before the parade broke off wai'm appreciation of the enthusiastic efforts of the instructor Sergeant-major E. Dickey, ,who had voluntarily and efficiently carried out the training of the section, was expressed. ________