COMMANDERS OF HOME GUARD

Southland Times, Issue 24243, 28 September 1940, Page 6

COMMANDERS OF HOME GUARD

Minister Announces Appointments

OFFICERS POSTED TO FOUR DISTRICTS WORK TO BEGIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE (United Press Association)

WELLINGTON, September 27. The Minister of National Service (the Hon. R. Semple) in a statement today announced the appointment of four district commanders of the Home Guard. They are:— Auckland District.—Colonel M. Aldred, V.D. Wellington District.—Colonel R. St.J. Beere, D.S.O. Christchurch District.—Major G. E. F. Kingscote.

Dunedin District.— Lieutenant-Col-onel A. S. B. Smith, E.D. “In previous statements,” said Mr Semple, “it has been indicated that the organization of the Home Guard, while not being a military establishment at this' stage would be developed very much along the lines of the army so the closest collaboration would be ensured in the training and disposition of the guard to make it an efficient supplementary body to the armed forces in time of need. It was decided, therefore, to divide the Dominion into district commands and those in turn into areas as is done with the army organization. For the purposes of the Home Guard, however, it has been found desirable to have four district commands —two in the North Island and two in the South Island instead of three, as in the army. The division of the South Island into two districts will allow of much quicker organizing because less travelling by the district commander will be involved,” said the Minister. “Great care has been exercised in the selection of the personnel to undertake the work of district commanders,” said Mr Semple, “and after very wide consultation with Major-General Robert Young, the Returned Soldiers’ Association, local authorities and others, the Government has been fortunate in securing the services of men with fine records who have agreed to give theii time free to this work.”

CONFERENCE IN WELLINGTON The Minister stated that immediately the four district commanders were appointed they were called to Wellington for a conference with the Dominion commander. M: jor-General Young, and Ministers. They had now returned to their districts to institute the necessary action to bring the Home Guard into being at the earliest possible date.

Colonel Aldred, V.D., was with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force from 1915 to 1917, serving in Egypt and Palestine. His highest rank was temporary major. He was in the territorial force from 1908 to 1934, and commanded the Ist Auckland Mounted Rifles and Ist New Zealand Mqunted Rifle Brigade. His highest rank was colonel.

Colonel Beere, D. 5.0., was with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force from 1914 to 1919, serving in Samoa, Egypt and France. His highest rank was lieutenant-colonel. He commanded the 4th Battalion New Zealand Rifle Brigade, was awarded the D.S.O. and mentioned in despatches. He was in the territorial force from 1909 till 1929, and commanded the Ist Battalion, Wellington Regiment, and the 2nd New Zealand Infantry Brigade. His highest rank was colonel.

Major Kingscote served in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force from 1916 to 1917. He was intelligence officer of the 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade in 1917 and was with the British Army from 1918 to 1919, serving at Dunster Force, and in the Middle East. He was G.S.O. 2 of the Intelligence Department in the Caucascus Army. His highest rank was major. He was mentioned in despatches. Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, E.D., served in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force from 1915 till 1918, with the Otago Mounted Rifles in Egypt and France. He was commissioned in the field in 1918. lie was in the territorial force from 1920 to 1937, and commanded the Otago Mounted Rifles. His highest rank was lieutenant-colonel.

USE OF SCHOOL GROUNDS AND BUILDINGS The possibility of school buildings and grounds being made available for the purpose of training the New Zealand Home Guard was mentioned in a letter received from the Education Department at the Southland Education Board’s meeting yesterday. The letter stated that the department had had referred to it the question of making available school buildings and grounds for the training of the Home Guard. The question of insuring against fire any school building that might be made use of was referred to the Treasury Department and that department advised that the Government would accept the fire risk and consquently there would be no need to effect special insurance. “It is presumed, of course, that all possible safeguards will be taken to minimize the risk of loss by fire,” the letter stated. “When replacing a school building destroyed by fire the department’s liability is confined to rebuilding the school and providing new furniture and equipment, the whole cost of which is usually found by the Government.”