HOME GUARD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 January 1941, Page 3

HOME GUARD

— ! DUTIES IN NEW ZEALAND NEED OF CAREFUL WATCH ON COAST. • __ i PROGRESS OF ORGANISATION. I (By Telefiraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. Because of the need for a careful j watch on the New Zealand coast, it ; was very satisfactory to note the ac- ; tivitics of the sub-area committees in [ the matter of organising and training 1 their respective units. Some of them had done remarkably well, said Colonel A. Cowles, the Wellington Home Guard organiser. yesterday. They were showing, he said, great initiative in securing instructors and in carrying out preliminary training work, as well as in obtaining further enrolments. Since the role of the Home Guard will bo. in the first place, one of observation and then initial resistance to any invading force, the training programme will be framed accordingly, ire said. Training which should consist of a minimum of eight hours monthly, will be arranged during; evenings, weekends, or at any other 1 time to suit local conditions. Parades, will be hold as close to members' i homos ns local facilities for training! permit. There will be no drill for the sake j of dnll, but sufficient will be included ; to enable units to manoeuvre as form- ' ed bodies. 'The whole object is to have' the Home Guard actively practising; the operations they will be called upon i to perform should an actual invasion 1

take place New Zealand has a long and intricate coast line containing many possible landing places, all of which must be watched by coastal units so that immediate and reliable reports may be given of any unforeseen happenings, □nd dettuled arrangements made for the defence of those landing places. Units formed in mland towns will act •m reinforcements to coastal units SCOPE OF TRAINING. Steps will be taken to ensure that members of the Home Guard acquire a full knowledge of the topography of the country, and of the defensive measures necessary for the particular locahlws. 'l'raming will be given, therefore. in the following — Reconnaissance, use of ground and cover, defensive disposition of units. occu|)ation of positions. siting of trencher, digging and wiring, camouflage, section hadmg. patrols, obstruction of roads and tracks, ma;.’ reading and field sketching, the writing of messages and rcjMr's. training of guides, defciice of beaches (for coastal; iimt'.i embussmg and dcbti.'ismg (for inland units) employment of weapons recognition of aircraft. To as<>- : ' instructors a supply of training manuah e.o.ej- eo these sub/<•<•:s ha." been 1 ur i to ah area commando: ir. the Home Guard. :a : metre:: thavt- been made with the. Ph 1 . Welfare Dejstrl’nem. for 'lse : i ;! it! FH C *l3itl i J i J-* Hi lip***-*’ 1 date phvoc.s; rtiltiirc These instp.ic- : r v, HI be used t fneil) f r training y i.»etre!! 1G ami 18 '.ear., i f age. ; wh; 'rmmiig v. ;H also comprise drill j and i j!’,* ev.-i i. o e-. Members « f the : Home Guard will be known as “Home G lard-men i'm's Ji he n cam-ed m platoons I e am; t’attal; m based at far O’ ( nv< on .-\r!!..v war cstab- i 1 ■ hmei.t !.<:! n.-t • igotl-, .... w hen local :wh! • ■ mail e .si'imc charige de alih Apm < mmis ill thtnfHC = b •’ Mt I « .rn .H C! .m! ! ". • '** s *4 f. 11 m i ?i»ll»iti i » Vk t • i, Wi► » pt i i