THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 21, 1938..
GOVERNOR'S APPEAL FOR MORE VOLUNTEERS
AN APPEAL TO ALL BRITISH SUBJECTS ABLE TO DO SO, TO JOINT THE VOLUNTEER CORPS, WAS MADE BY HIS EX- CELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, SIR GEÖFFRY NORTHCOTE, AT THE ANNUAL DINNER OF THE CORPS HELD AT HEADQUAR- TERS LAST NIGHT.
His Excellency said:-
at
every
is about to be plunged into war; but It is with much pleasure that I rise no one can look around the world to- to reply to the toast.of the health of day without realising its turmoil and your guests which you have just drunk how its peace is jeopardized, and so kindly. It is a compliment which such a time it is the duty of we guests have all appreciated highly, British subject in this Colony, who and not least among them the mem in the event of war could be spared bers of the Advisory Committee and from his peace-time duties, so to train your Honorary Colonel. On behalf himself now, that then he may be able of the Advisory Committee I can as- to play a useful part. Hong Kong sure you gentlemen of the Volunteer will not have six months in which to Corps that, great though their plea-organize its forces at the outbreak of sure is in enjoying your hospitality war; it will be lucky if it has six this evening, it is greatly transcended days. So, I urge upon every British by that with which they listened to subject in Hong Kong who is in your Colonel's good report upon the position to do so, to join up now with Corps' activities during the last year. one of the Volunteer Forces:
I urge Beside that sense of pleasure I as-upon every firm in this Colony to give you that your guests also feel every opportunity, indeed every real gratitude to you gentlemen who ducement, to men of serviceable age, are prepared give up your leisure time to join up and to do their training. and your comfort to do your duty It may well mean the difference be- towards the defence of this Colony.tween life and death to Hong Kong They realise that the sacrifice which whether at the crisis it is seen stan- you make is not a small one; but they ding armed cap-a-pie to defend her- realise also that you are rendering self or with its defenders little more yourselves fit for a day, which we all than half-organized. hope may not come, but which, if it comes, will be very dire.
sure
anyone
NO NEW H.Q. YET
a
in-
fine
me
As I listened to your Colonel's speech There are one or two other matters memory carried me back some 40 on which I should like to speak shor-
atly. I had years, when I myself first became
scarcely arrived in this Volunteer; those were the days when Colony before a very good friend of they used to call us 'bug-shooters', the Corps, Major-General Bartholo- If we did not have the complicated mew, who has sent you a very training that you gentlemen have to-message to-night, represented to day, at any rate I can assure you that the need for better accommodation for I undertook there and volunteering in the last century had the Corps, plenty of the arduous in it, as
then to find that accommodation, and who has doubled along Laffans Plain the only reason why no proposals have or up the Long Valley, in a tight yet been made public in that respect waisted red coat under a heavy helmet is that the suggestion then made was and in Corps boots, will agree. It is that some temporary buildings should with just a trace of pride that Ibe erected. I
was, and indeed recall that I ran so hard in those days strongly averse from putting up tem- that I was promoted to the rank of porary buildings which will need to Lance Corporal.
be replaced by permanent ones, my advisers and I have been busy dur- ing the last few months seeking
' STRENGTH OF 1500
conclusion
am,
and
B
With
I have had the advantage over most site where permanent headquarters of of those present, in having seen the Annual Report of the Corps for the great reluctance
the Corps might be erected.
I have come to the year 1937. As Colonel Anderson has
that the time is not ripe observed, the year has been charac for that step, and so I have given my terised by a great measure of re-or-
provisional concurrence to a scheme ganisation and a very
considerable
which will I will not traverse again commodation to
enlarge the existing ac- expansion.
the minimum which the ground which he has covered so will enable the Corps to function and ably, but I will touch on one or two of to train. The buildings will be of a the principal items. I am very glad indeed to welcome the Chinese chine. Gun Company. In entrusting to them a part of the armed defences extensions will be made to your build- of this Colony, Government has, I
ings that one great deterrent to re- feel sure, done a wise as well as a cruiting will have ceased to be. welcome thing. It was with great have used the words 'provisional con- pleasure that I learned of the willing-currence' because I have not yet se- ness of the Military Authorities to rely so largely on this Chinese Com- tive Council or the Secretary of State
cured the permission of the Legisla pany for guarding the fixed defen- for this project, but I have no doubt ces of the Island and Mainland.
that in both cases it will be accorded. Colonel Anderson has been able to pay
Another step, which is further ad-. to that Company's keenness a warm
vanced than that which I have just compliment which we all heard much happiness.
temporary nature; the equipment will Ma- be, I fear, on the meagre side; but at any_rate_I_hope that before long such
•
of
I
with mentioned, is the increase in the num-
ber of permanent appointments The formation of a Corps Pay Sec-the Corps. It is proposed that the tion is significant of the growth of three posts, your Commanding Officer, the Corps, which as you know, aims your Adjutant and your Regimental at a full strength of 1500 men. It is Sergeant-Major shall no longer be fill- my hope and belief that we shall at-ed by seconded officers, but shall be tain to that full number before long, as permanent appointments. This has But, in order to do so as your Colonel had the approval of the Finance Com- has pointed out forcibly, it is neces-mittee and is under submission to the sary that the Corps should be able to Secretary of State. For a Corps of recruit something just under 200 the strength at which wo are aim- more British Volunteers, Now, gen-ing I feel sure that, that number tlemen, I have mentioned the figure of permanent officers is a necessity. 1500 as the strength at, which the There are many other points which Corps aims: it is not without good occur in the Corps' report for 1987 on reason that the Military, Authorities which I would like to speak, but I have fixed upon that figure; and it is must have some regard for your pa- not without the best of reasons that tience. I would only say therefore, they insist that we should attain, as that I was very glad to have a hand soon as possible, not merely to 1500 in the formation of the Corps Rifle men, but to 1500 trained, man. An Club, and I would like to add my and Island Fortress such as Hong Kong my fellow-guests congratulations : to cannot in these modern days expect to the Machine Gun Units of the Corps have any but the shortest possible for winning the Efficiency Cup, and warning before it finds itself under to the many other winners of whom. attack; the shorter the period of war-Colonel Anderson has spoken.. ning the more essential it is that every
· COLONEL ANDERSON: section of the defending forces should
Page
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be able to be ready' in the shortest But before I sit down I wish on be words of praise are not emphatic, but will not allow his services to her to be possible time: and by ready! I mean half not only of all those present, but coming from a soldier like Colonel forgotten. ready in every respect. It is vitally on behalf of the Colony as a whole, to Anderson they are high praise: butAnd now, gentlemen of the Volun- necessary that the Corps should be so pay a most heartfelt, tribute of gra-every member of the Corps will agree teer Corps, that is all I have to say to complete in numbers and training titude and admiration, to Colonel An- with me that that praise is due to no you to-night in reply to this toast, ox- that with the least possible notice derson for his unfailing zeal and suc- one so much as to the officer who has cept that I am glad to think that in every man will be in his place' and, cessful service during the period of during the past three years organized less than a month I shall be seeing at moreover,
that if and when the call his command." He and his report for it with such energy and efficiency. It the King's Birthday Parade a detach
we ment from your Corps looking, I feel comes in those parts "of our defences last year:-'I am well satisfied with is with the greatest regret that which have been entrusted to the the work of the Volunteers during the shall part with Colonel Anderson, but suro, at its smartest. I thank you Their keenness has though wo must lose him from our again on behalf of your guests for Corps no place will then be found un last 12 months. filled. L do not wish to be an alar- been admirable. In all cases Exer-side, the Corps will not lose him from the handsome way in which you drank mist; I do not think that this Colony cises have been well attended. Those its memory, and the Colony's records our health,