DEFENCE TRAINING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 July 1941, Page 4

DEFENCE TRAINING

SUGGESTIONS OF SOLDIER M.P. NEED OF ABSORBING WAR LESSONS. PRACTICAL PROPOSALS. (By Telegraph—Press Association., WELLINGTON. This Day. A soldier’s suggestions for Hie training and equipment of Xew Zealand’s armed forces were made by Air Cotterill (Government, Wanganui), who was in uniform when he spoke in the Budget debate in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. "The great lesson to be learnt from the engagements in Greece and Crete is that this is not a rifleman’s war, but a war of automatic arms." said Mr Cotterill. "We must realise that the single-shot service rifle is something of the past, and that the successful infantry in modern war is the infantry equipped with automatic arms. The sooner our troops are so equipped, the sooner the British Empire and her Allies will be able to bring the war to a successful conclusion."

Mr Cotterill said that he had been amazed by the efficiency shown by New Zealand's Territorial force on maneouvres at the end of last year, after the men had some preliminary instruction followed by three monJis of intensive training. They showed that they had probably learnt more than troops going overseas had learnt at the stage of their departure; though it had to be recognised that the training of the latter was intensified and finished off overseas. PARADES & PENALTIES.

It was necessary, however, that the efficiency of the Territorial Force should be maintained, said Mr Cotterill. It had been found that, after the three months' intensive training, men were not attending parades as they should. In spite of a warning by the Minister of Defence that attendance was compulsory, in places like Wanganui it was only about 40 per cent. He suggested that, if attendances did not improve, the Government should inflict some penalty to make sure that the men fulfilled their obligations in time of war. Mr Polson (Opposition, Stratford): "Would you apply that to the Home Guard?" Mr Cotterill: "That is a different proposition altogether.” He agreed that there was difficulty in getting attendances at Home Guard parades, but said that one could not help but admire the keenness of those members who were attending. Many officers and n.c.o.’s were taking.their annual leave to go to courses of instruction. Reverting to the Territorial Force. Mr Cotterill said that the men who had been drawn in ballots and were now doing their three months' training would not reach the same stage of efficiency as those who had been trained in the past, because they were going in as raw recruits without preliminary instruction. Further training would be necessary to bring them to Territorial standard. SELECTION OF TRAINEES. Mr Cotterill said that the men now being trained fell into three classes: men of 19 years; married, family men who had volunteered; and men from 40 to 45 years. "It has been found that there is a number of men in the last group who, though they have been passed as physically fit, are not of a type that will make good soldiers,” said Mr Cotterill. “The medical boards have no power of discretion in the matter, but I think some discretion should be left to unit commanders in training camps to make recommendations to the authorities where a man is obviously not fitted to be a soldier, so that steps may be taken to return him to his civil occupation." A man of that type was wasting his own time, the time of his instructors and the time of the men with him in the Army, though he could probably give good service back in his civil occupation. In reply to an Opposition question, Mr Cotterill said he did not think the wastage on this account would be more than one or two per cent. Mr Cotterill suggested that, before married men were called on, the medical position of all men, married or single, who had volunteered, should be re-examined to see if any of them were capable of service overseas. Mi- Broadfoot (Opposition, Waitomo): "What about fit men over 45?” Mr Cotterill said he did not think it would be wise to include men in that group, but he knew of other men who were anxious to go overseas and were willing to sacrifice lucrative positions to do so. He thought their position should be re-examined before married men were called.

REPATRIATION & HOUSING. Mr Cotterill also dealt with repatriation, which, he said, was a complex problem. Men who had been living the life of a soldier for several years, or even for several months, would find it hard to settle down again in civil life. After their deeds in Greece and Crete they were worthy of everything that could possibly be done for them. The provision of housing for returned soldiers should be considered, said Mr Cotterill. Many men had married just before going overseas; others would want to marry as soon as they got back. Their first demand would be for a house to live in. He thought they should have first call on the available houses, even though the civil population had to wait. He felt sure that the people would agree to this.