HOME GUARD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 March 1941, Page 4

HOME GUARD

AMMUNITION TO BE ISSUED MORE RIFLES NEEDED. N.C.O. REFRESHER COURSE AT EASTER. The weekly battalion training parades were held at the Drill Hall and Mascot Rink, Masterton, last night An announcement that the Government was to make the battalion an ammunition issue of 125 rounds per available rifle was received with enthusiasm. This means that the more rifles that aie placed at the battalion’s disposal the greater is the ammunition issue. Owneis of rifles are therefore appealed to to notify the battalion officers immediately so that the maximum range practice may be obtained. It was also announced that an officers’ and N.C.O.’s refresher training camp would be held at Solway during Easter. The quota of trainees is limited and it appears that there will be keen enthusiasm to take the course. Last nights work consisted in Lewis and Vickers gun instruction and rifle Z and platoon drill. Physical training. \ instruction of our attractive type was also given and a substantial part of the evening was spent in physical training games which were played with great boisterousness and enthusiasm. The Battalion Commander, Lieut. A. L. Hibbs, D.C.M., and other officers, during the week, visited Tinui and Kopuaranga and strong units have been formed in each district and arrangements made for daylight parades. In all there are nine outlying districts to be visited and all will be dealt with at the earliest possible moment. This work, which is an addition to the local parades is being done at considerable sacrifice in time and trouble by the battalion officers, but they express themselves as more than recompensed by the keenness and enthusiasm displayed in the country districts.

Questioned with regard to the suggestion that the most that New Zealand might expect in the meantime was a raider, the battalion commander stated that this might still be the official view in some quarters, but it was certainly not the universal attitude, and most definitely not the attitude of those in high places in the Home Guard, as was quite evident from the address given by Colonel Beere, the Wellington District Commander, to the men during his visit a fortnight ago. At a time when the conflagration showed signs of spreading in many directions, there was only one worth while insurance and that was to be prepared. It was the pre-Dunkirk attitude to deal in possibilities and probabilities and reckon only with those. The essence of war was surprise and no war had shown this more clearly than the present. at witness the events in Norway, France and Libya. Only by. training now could they be certain of avoiding the deplorable debacle of the Norwegian surprise attack, where, as seen in at recent newsreel, officers were instruc- k ting men in how to handle a rifle while actually under fire from the enemy. The time to prepare was now and every available man should join the Home Guard and do his part.