WAR CALL MET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 July 1940, Page 5

WAR CALL MET

NEW ZEALAND’S EFFORT EIGHTY THOUSAND VOLUNTEERS SURVEY BY THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE. DEVELOPMENT OF “ALL-IN" POLICY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. The results of the voluntary system of recruiting for the Army and the preparations made in advance to enable New Zealand to pass from a peace time to a war footing without' confusion or disorganisation were discussed by the Minister of Defence, AIT Jones, in an address last night. He said that New Zealand’s war effort could not have been such an outstanding success without the thorough work done before I lie oulbreak of war.

This, the Minister said, had meant planning and reorganisation on the mlitary side, still more planning on the civil side, and the co-ordination of both. There could be no greater source of pride than the response which the men of New Zealand had made to the call to arms. Mr Jones said that the response to the voluntary recruiting system, which came to an end last Monday, had been splendid, and worthy of the country's best traditions. “With the German offensive in May, the war situation as-

sumed new and grave proportions,” he continued. "We hastened our preparations and vigorously expanded our war effort. As the peril became greater, it was clear that nothing less than an ’all-in' policy would suffice. And it was an ’all-in' policy that the Government decided to adopt, with the power to mobilise not only manpower, but the whole wealth and resources of the nation. “As we step over the threshold of this new system, we can rightly claim notable achievements. Altogether some 80.000 men have volunteered for service overseas in the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy. We have today a division in training, together with specialised units and some reinforcements. One echelon is in the Middle East, awaiting its allotted task. The second is in Great Britain, fully armed and fully prepared. Here in New Zealand we have not only the third echelon. but the fourth, fifth, and some men toward the sixth reinforcements. In addition we have brought into training 1 part of the Territorial Army which, with new units now being formed, will provide a war strength of nearly 30,000. This is a very fine achievement, and it has comes about, very quickly.

NEW ZEALAND’S EFFORT

WAR BOOK PREPARED. Mr Jones said that for several years committees had been at work planning down to the last detail that would have to be done immediately war broke out. This work was centred in the Organisation for National Security set up by the Government in 1937. A chief result of all this planning was recorded in what was called the War Book. In this were precise instructions so that all concerned could go straight to their allotted tasks. The orders for the armed services, of course, were all cut and dried. All the home defence points were manned as smoothly as if it had been a routine matter, and the Navy swiftly went about its duty. •■Recruiting for the N.Z.E.F. commenced on September 12. 1939, eight days after war broke out, and ceased on July 22,” said the Minister. "In just over 10 months, 63,747 men enlisted, including 4103 Maoris. THE FIGHTING FORCES. “In addition, we must consider the Air Force, the Navy, and the men seeing in home defence. There have been over 14,000 applications for the Air Force since war began, and, in addition, some hundreds of New Zealanders were with the R.A.F. when war broke out. Two thousand six hundred New Zealanders, including reservists, are with the Navy. The men guarding vital points, ttie coast watchers, the crews of coast and anti-aircraft batteries, add several more thousands to the military establishment. The Air Force requirements are, of course, very rigid, and often men who failed there also enlisted in other branches. “But after double enlistments are accounted for, the conservative total is still ever 80,000. This compares favourably with any other British Dominion. Comparisons are difficult, I know, but in the last war the first 15 months produced 54,000 men for overseas service, as against 80,000 in 10 months of the present war. In other words, the rate of recruiting has doubled this time, though the number of men of military age has increased by only 25 per cent.

HOME DEFENCE. “The sending of men overseas does not end our military effort, for there is also home defence. The two main bodies who make up the force are the Territorials and Class 11. of the National Military Reserve. These are the personnel who man the coast defence artillery, the garrisons for the defended ports, and the secondary ports, guards on vital points, coast watchers, three mobile striking forces and a mobile headquarters reserve. Some time before war broke out, the Territorial strength was brought up to 16,000. In spite of the continuous stream of enlistments of Territorials for overseas, we maintained this peace strength. Then on May 20 the Government decided to expand the Territorials to war establishment. “Good progress is being made and we still have to form a number oi units, but already as a result of the great spurt in recruiting in the past month we have added over 3500 to oui former strength. To the extent that our numbers fall short of war establishment a ballot will be taken. “Intensive training of the home defence forces began last month, and will be complete early next year, In addition to the territorials, we have the National Military Reserve units, made up of returned soldiers. ex-Territorials, and men with no previous military experience. There are 3700 of these men on home service or undergoing training at present. I should mention also that regular force personnel and civil staff in the Army Department account for yet another 3300. The Government at present are considering the details of a plan to provide additional units for home service comprised of men not eligible for service in the existing armed forces. An early announcement of this scheme will be made.” NEW ZEALAND AIRMEN. The Minister said there were today 710 New Zealand pilots in the Royal Air Force. Some of them manned a separate New Zealand squadron in the Bomber Command, flying the Wellington bombers which were on order by New Zealand when war broke out. Other New Zealanders were in the fighter and coastal commands. New Zealand flyers were playing their part every day in the aerial campaign over Germany. These fine New Zealanders were only the advance guard of a great army of flyers to follow them. Very soon the Empire Air Training Scheme would be in full swing, and New Zealand would have reached the peak of its contributions under this scheme sooner than the other Dominions. “Our air training organisation will then be turning out fully trained pilots and technical personnel ready to go straight to England, and partly-train-ed pilots, observers, and air-gunners to go to Canada for further training, in all numbering over 3700 a year,” said Mr Jones. “This is not just the result of rapid plans made since the war broke out. It is the fruit of plans made so far back as 1936, when the re-or-ganisation of the Air Force was begun.

‘■Even in 1938 we had promised to send Great Britain in case of war 1000 pilots a year. And then in May of last year wo decided on still further expansion so that New Zealand could increase the number up to 1300 pilots, observers and air-gunners each year. It was this pre-war ground work that enabled us to build up an organisation that will provide nearly three times that number under the Empire scheme.” NAVAL SERVICE. The Minister said that the number of officers and men in the New Zealand naval forces, or sent from New Zealand to serve in the Royal Navy overseas now amounted to 211 oflicers as compared with 82 before the war. and 2429 men as compared with 1257 before the war. Having brought all New Zealand warships up to full complement before the outbreak of war. by means of calling up New Zealand naval reservists, and having set going all the various port services required, a large number of officers and men of the R.N.V.R. could be spared for service overseas. The Admiralty accepted the offer, with a result that 25 officers and 222 men left for England nearly three months ago. In addition 10 young men had been specially entered as sub-lieutenants for service in the Royal Navy as technical ratings left for England with the R.N.V.R. officers and men.

‘'The Admiralty has asked for some 200 further recruits to become officers in the R.N.V.R.,” said Mr Jones. "No less than 1241 applications were received by the closing date, which was June 29. The eligible candidates are now being interviewed by a special board travelling round the Dominion for the purpose. , "I think all will agree that the results of the voluntary system have been good, that our defence preparations and organisation have achieved excellent results, and that New Zealand once again has proved herself. Thousands are waiting to serve wherever and whenever they are needed. Our men have proved themselves. We have now. at home, to prove ourselves. Wc know the sacrifices our British kinsfolk are making and the part played by our own men. It remains for us to do our bit toward the attainment of victory.”