ARMED FORCES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 February 1942, Page 3

ARMED FORCES

CALL UP OF MARRIED MEN A CHANGE IN SYSTEM. YOUNGER TYPE FOR ARMY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. An announcement that married men with children would be called up for service with the armed forces in age groups was made last night by the Minister of National Service, Mr Semple. He said that, following the calling up of all married men without children, further men would be called up as required in age classes, irrespective of the number of children. “This system will apply to calling for overseas service in the same way as for Territorial service,” said Mr Semple. “The Government has given the most careful and detailed consideration to the many factors involved and has come to the conclusion that the system now announced has the most to recommend it. The Army definitely wants the younger type of man who takes more easily to modern warfare. while industry needs the more skilled and experienced man, who is usually rather older. “Another important factor is the general shortage of manpower in industry, and by calling first the married men without children, a large number of married women will become available to fill the ranks in industry. A fresh Classification Order will be issued in the near future to give effect to this change.” Mr Semple also said that the Government had decided to include naturalised British subjects in the First and Second Divisions of the General Reserve and to call them up for service in exactly the same way as British subjects. At the present time those men were not enrolled for military service, but they would shortly be called on to enrol with the National Service Department. The first call-up of married men, without children, called in the January 20 ballot, to enter camp will be made early next month. The remainder of the single men called in overseas and Territorial ballots and not yet in camp will be sent to camp for training on February 14. This applies to the Central Military District.