A REGIMENT OF RETURNED MEN.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 November 1916, Page 7

A REGIMENT OF RETURNED MEN.

AN AUSTRALIAN SUGGESTION. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Nov. 1. A cablegram from Sydney states that the New South Wiile.i Returned Soldiers' Association, "disgusted at the result of the referendum, proposes to form a regiment from the returned men." It is believed that "2000 of the men will be able to pass the doctor." A suggestion of a similar character was made to the New Zealand Defence authorities a fortnight ago, but it has not yet received official approval. The idea was that returned soldiers should be allowed to form a distinct unit in one of the Reinforcements. They would have to be embodied in the New Zealand Division after their arrival at the front, but they could bo allowed to train together and travel to the New Zealand, base together. The example of the men who, having already "done their bit," were prepared to fight again might assist in promoting voluntary recruiting. "I believe that we could enlist 500 returned men for service with a Returned Soldiers Corps," said one of the Gallipoli veterans to-day. "Hundreds of the men who were invalided home and discharged in the earlier stages of the war arc now fit for service again. Many of them have already re-enlisted, and eve"y Reinforcement for some time past has contained returned soldiers who had elected to get into the firing iine again. Why should not these men be allowed to go back together, in recognition of the fact that they are putting their shoulders to the wheel for the second time? They would appreciate the concession and they seem to have earned it.'*