WAR REGULATIONS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 24, 26 August 1916, Page 3

WAR REGULATIONS.

ARM BADGES. ■• The Hon. W. F. Massey "(chairman of the Recruiting Board) telegraphs from Wellington as follows:—As previously indicated, it has now. been decided to make new regulations under the War Regulations Act, 1914, with respect to the issue ami wearing of arm badges. This decision is largely the outcome of representations, that have been made by returned and discharged soldiers themselves, '-who have of unauthorised persons wearing badges, which, though not official, are indicative': to the public- mind of honorable service and discharge. Badges of Various .sort's have been adopted and

worn on the arm, in place of the dis tinctive official khaki arid red badge: by the men entitled to wear them, and it is this practice which has enabled the abuse to creep In. .There is only one effective method of prevent ing the improper use of war badges, and that is' by absolutely prohibiting, any person, whether a volunteer wlr is waiting to he called up, or has not' been accepted for service, or a r< turned discharged soldiers),' froi; wearing on the arm any badge other than : the official badge, issued b"y'tiic Defence authorities', a s a token o' willingness to serve or of honourable service in the great war. This is t be dorio by the amended war '--regulations and the new rule is to take ef feet from Monday, the 4th September thereafter, until the end; of the Wa' it will be an offence for any man t< wO.ar any badge on the arm other than the approved badge, or a ,' bad-go indi •ca.tive of military, naval, or official rank, or a badge indicative o,f; niourning.

The principal provisions of the. proposed regulations will be found in paragraphs 8 and-9; which wil! read: (S)'No man, whether-a badge has W"" so duly jssnod ito- him or not. shall. wear upon his arni any badge or' any. description whatever other, .than, .(a); an approved budge, lawfully.: issilfcUi t: j him under these regulations, or un der the war regulations of the 29th day, of March, 1016, relative to the] officers and crews of transports; ov i'b) a badge indicative of military, naval, or official rank, or (c) a badge indicative of mourning; (9) no man to whom an approved badge lias been issued : under those regulations shall • wear that badge, whether on his arm ov otherwise, in any -mutilated or substantially altered form.' - • In order to guard against nil authorised persons wearing an improved arm badge, it is proposed 1 make full use of the power conferred by the regulations to challenge hi:; man wearing'an arm badge, .to 'pi;?' duco his card of authority to wear it This card is to he produced at-, tli request of any military officer, cq'iV stable or ilon'-commissioned officer, o l ' an Expeditionary Force,' or of tin. permanent' staff., 'Men therefore t whom official arm badges ,have been jduly- issued-are warned- that the;-'-must on and after Monday, the 4th Septembor, wear.only the official arm,; badge, .and not any mutilated .'. or a! tered form of it. and-that at all.tmi" ; while rwearing this official .badge the. |

'must have the card of authority i wear in their personal possession. I order to, meet any objection that ha been raised to the appearance of tin arm badge,' it has been decided i • fix a period as the fair wearable lif i of a badge, and to rcsiaw the issue a! the expiration of that period. Su; renewal will be made free of cost, bu' will be subject to the return of the worn-out badge. The new regulation i will not in any way interfoi'e with thewearing on the coat lapel of the stive' device., which has been adored; by the Returned Soldiers' Association, or of any other badge or token. Th prohibition applies to the wearing on, the'arm of, a badge, of any description other than the official badge.