HOME DEFENCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 July 1940, Page 6

HOME DEFENCE

v TRAINING OF OFFICERS & N.C.O’S. WITH DISTRICT AND OTHER UNITS. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. Under the scheme for the intensive training of the Territorial Force for home defence, 1,695 officers and noncommissioned officers are undergoing special training at district schools of instruction, said the Minister of Defence (Mr Jones) .today. In addition, three’ units at full war establishment are undergoing training at their home stations in the Norther)) Military District. There are 114 officers and 433 N.C.O's. in training.

In the Southern District there are 92 officers and 397 N.C.O's. in training. In addition to the above, the Army School at Trentham is training for district signals companies 8 officers and 94 n.c.o.’s, for regimental signals 5 officers and 13 n.c.o's, for machine-gun companies 10 officers and 10 n.c.o. s. There are therefore 331 officers and 1.364 n.c.o.’s, a total, of 1.695 in training, preparatory to going into camp with iheir units in October for three months intensive training.

Mr Jones said the Ist Battalion of the Auakland Regiment, the Ist Battalion of the Wellington Regiment and the Ist Battalion of the Canterbury Regiment were at full war establishment and training at home stations. The training of these units would conclude with a month in camp in September. In addition. coast and anti-aircraft artillery units were also training at full war establishment.