HOME GUARD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 April 1941, Page 4

HOME GUARD

CAMP OF INSTRUCTION AT SOLWAY VISIT BY COLONEL JENNINGS. ACTIVITIES DURING WEEKEND On Saturday and Sunday the officers and n.c.o’s. of Area 7B of the Home Guard attending the instruction camp at Solway Showgrounds continued their progressive training course under ideal conditions.

On Saturday Colonel Jennings, Staff Officer to Major-General Young, Commander of the Home Guard, visited the camp and after watching the training in progress, addressed the officers and n.c.o’s. at some length on the work of the Home Guard and dealt with the various difficulties that had arisen in the matter of equipping the units and how these were being overcome. Col. Jennings answered many questions and all ranks felt satisfied that every effort was being made to meet the demand for uniforms and equipment at an early date. Yesterday, after the two companies into which the trainees have been formed (A Company, north of Masterton and B Company, Masterton and ’south), had paraded for morning roll call, they assembled under the stand for church parade. This was conducted by Major McNeur,. brother of the Rev D. McNeur, Lansdowne. Major McNeur. who was a chaplain in the last war and is on the hospital ship Maunganui as one of the chaplains, spoke of the duties of the Home Guard and of . their responsibility towards those left behind by the men who had proceeded overseas and of the need for all to have the help of a spiritual force behind them to see them through these difficult times. His address was greatly appreciated by those present. A lecture on sanitation and hygiene followed by Dr N. H. Prior. After lunch the two companies proceeded to Waingawa and carried out a defensive scheme under Lieuts. J. Logan and S. V. Gooding, assisted by Territorial n.c.o’s.

Today arrangements had been made for the trainees to proceed to Homewood by lorry, etc., to carry out an operation in defence of a spot where an enemy landing might be expected. On account of the weather this was postponed until a more favourable occasion.

This morning Captain F. W. Parry spoke to the men on Home Guard training and Captain Fordyce (Eketahuna) referred to experiences on Gallipoli. Thanks are expressed to the Women’s War Auxiliary for their assistance, to the officers and n.c.o’s. of Masterton and Carterton Territorial units, to the Quartermaster (Mr McFarlane) and the Adjutant (Mr Richardson) and to the cook, Mr E. A. Tozer. Last night the members of the Guard accommodated at the camp expresed their personal thanks to Mr Tozer and made a presentation to him. This morning the full complement supported these expressions to the accompaniment of three cheers and the singing of “For He's a Jolly Good Fellow.” The camp broke up this morning.