1941-04-01 — Page 15

Tuesday,

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

April 1, 1941.

By Walt Disney

Introducing

DONALD DUCK

FLOWERS

BY GOLLY!

THE BOYS WERE RIGHT SHE IS MAKINI ME A SWEATE I BETTER GET 'HER A BOU

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Dinhvndée Jana Trezire Symbente, Inc

GRIN AND BEAR IT

By Lichty

um. UNITED STATES

In this, the Third Article in Our New Series:

2-24

291, T

NO.1303

"Wo could try an invasion there on April 16th, the open- ing day of the baseball season in America-then it wouldn't get much notice in the papers.'

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term

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By LAKS MORRIS

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE

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10-Beulptors 11-Ghtep

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Nanking Envoy With

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CHUNGKING, Mar, 30 (Cehtrati Nowa)The Chinese Government ha CHUNGKING, Mar 31 (Central lodged a protest with the Vichy News) —In a desperate attempt to Government, following

northern Kiangat. Generul Shunroku tative of the Wang Hata Commander-in-Chief of the there, had issued Japanese Forces in Cilnn," left

retrieve the Japanese debacle in reports that

Lin S

with the Japanese authorities to the Shanghal for the Khoan front by air Chinese residenti aking them to on March 26, scording to a Shanglin altend à memorial service to be held dispatchi

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to-day for

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OUR GREAT NEW ARMY

H. V. MORTON describes his visit to the

66

I

Young

AM able to say that the War Ofice is giving care- ful thought to the grievances of the Young Soldiers Bat- talions. What these griev auces are I shall explain in the course of this article.

First, let me explain what a Young Soldiers Battalion is, and how these units came into being. Their history is a curious onе.

Before the War, Territorial battalions formed companies of old soldiers known ns National Defence Companies,. who had no peace-time duties or organisation but were to be called up on the outbreak of war to guard water-works, bridges. tunnels, aerodromes, military stores and power stations.

The age of enlistment in these companies was from 45 to 55, and at first only ex- soldiers were accepted.

Back To Khaki

When War came, these old soldiers turned up with great eagerness to put on khaki again and were formed into "Groups" composed of four or more companies under Lout-Colonel, who was called the "Group Commander.".

This organisation was found to be imperfect and so in November 1980, the existing groups were formed into Bat- talions, known as the Home Defence Battalions, and as such they functioned guards all over the country.

28

No one has ever praised those old soldiers for the work they did in critical und· aße xious times last year, or for the way they stood up to the hard winter of January and February.

Men who commanded them and came into contract with them tell me that they were magnificent.

However, despite their cour- age and cheerfulness, the surprising spectacle was ob served, so often prophesied in military song, of those old soldiers gradually "fading away."

And they faded away as the result of nge, illness, and old wounds.

Old Bill dragged himself to the water-works with heroic regularity, but, alas, his rheu- matics, plus the "Blighty one" ho got at Festubert, made it necessary for him to retire reluctantly into civil life.

When those old soldiers had been discharged, the supply ceased, and it was decided to fill the gaps with young volun- teers between the ages of 18 and 20.....

Soldiers"

training before he automati-

cally joins the Army at the age of twenty.

I visited a juvenile bat- talion, which wears the badge of a famous London regiment, and is stationed on the out- skirts of a garrison town.

I found the headquarters in a pleasant suburban mansion hidden from the main road by trees.

Here I met the adjutant, and the second in command, both as keen as mustard on training young lads to be soldiers. Then I met the colonel, who was a good, man' for the job, I thought.

His expression could change in a second from that of a stern parent about to disin- herit his son to that of a bene- volent uncle about to part with half a crowIL

"See My Battalion"

"If you wish to see my bat- talion, instead of talking about it," he said, "you'll have to travel round the countryside, for the boys are scattered all over the place on guard duty."

I asked if that was their normal position, and he repli- ed, yes, unfortunately It was.

Owing to the intensive. training going on in the dis- trict, it was not possible for older, troops to be found for such duties, with the result that the young soldiers have to do them.

He had consequently never seen bly 'battalion on parùde, and knew it only as a number of scattered detachments.

Mere Sentries

I said that while this was un- fortunate for him it must be par ticularly unfortunate for the boys themselves, who had joined the Army of their own tree will n order to become efficient soldiers by the time they were called up. and, Instead, found themselves

turned into permanent sentries.

Well, you must judge for your- self" suld the colonel with ¤ smile

tike Alve shillings school holidays;

days: by which I gather-

that was like

in the

ed that I had not displeased blm. Accompanied by the second in command; I set off in one of those chromatic Austin Sevens, which the Army has tried to disguise as a bit

open country.

uf

of

in

We came to general headquar- ters, where, with a sweep of his

U10 hand, major Indleated a wide at the top of which steps lo sentries who looked as though they had been blown over from Buckingham Palace,

ware about six foot They height, and the hideous garment, known (thanks, surely, to some melodramatic tailor). as "battle dress," had been pressed into smurtnesi; loc-caps. ahone as the Guards shine them, and every blt of webbing was blancoed, and all the buckles gleamed.

East and West

"Two of our lads," said the major. We are very proud of Anding the headquarters guard."

That was not a happy idea, and the mixing of old and young together was not satis- factory; therefore on Septem ber 19, 1940, the Young Sol- diers Battalions were formed by removing from the Home Defence Battalions all the ladsanked. "of 18 to 20"

Thus the Young Soldiers Battalions were born, phoenix like, from the ashes of the old soldiers battalions.

And they romsin to-day the only,Korganisation, which can wo years military.

left;

We mounted the steps, where I talked to the young giant on the Where do you come from?!! I "Ifackney," he replied sternly but suspiciously

How old are you?" "Ningteen next birthday," se Anid

giving the last word, its tuo, Cockney, value,...

#Are your, people sufo?"

I spoke to the young giant on the right

"Where do you come from?" asked.

I

"Kensington, sir," he said briskly. "And where did you go to school?"

"Westminster, sir."

"And do you like the Army?" "Well,, er" he looked in the direction of the major, "yes sir. I like it very much, sir."

"A Grand Mixture"

We passed into the building, where we encountered two more young soldiers mounting guard over a pile of dust-bins and n series of back doors..

I asked the major If the mixture of publle schoolboy and L.C.C. schoolboy, which I had encountered on the front step, was generat throughout the battalion.

"the bal- "Yes, it is," he of lads lation is a mixture of of every social grade, and a grand mixture it is. East End snobbery and West End snobbery don't last long here. "The lads soon knock the rough corners off each other, and It's in- teresting to see them striking up friendships.

"The two you spoke to on the front step, who used to fight like cats, are now great buddies: they go about everywhere together."

What are your chief troubles?" "First, these perpetual guard duties,

uties, which make it dificult to create esprit de corps,

Secondly,

a general ingrained lack of discipline, for which I per- blame parents, among lads sonally of eighteen.

of

Thirdly, a small percentage-of- real bad hats with criminal re cords, who have been wished on us by magistrates."

How is that?" "IL the foolish habit

was magistrates particularly in Gloss- gow, which does not affect us, to offer Juvenile offenders the choice between punishment and the Army. "Of course, they chose the Army. That

has been stopped, I am glad to say "

We then made a rapid tour of urdnance stores, waterworks, patrol dumps, an aerodrome, and such- like places, scattered over an area of several miles, and at each point we cafe

upon a small detachment of young soldiers.

They were being chased about on P.T. and bayonet practice in the briet intervals between “posing-up". for

guard

duty.

A sergeant, who wore the Mons Siur,

told me that a better lot of

lads

could not be found anywhere. It was a pity to see thelt keenners being blunted on the soul-killing monotony of guard duty.

As they reach the age of 20, the boys leave the Young Soldiers Bat- Inlion And report to a training.cen- tre, from which they are sent to re- gular units of the Army.

It is the ambition of every boy. In the battalion to become 20, Ro that he can escape from guard duly and learn to be a soldier.

Help These Lads

I came away from the ballation with the profound conviction that we are neglecting one of the best breeding-grounds for officers and N.C.O.'s it we do not right the wrongs of the Young Soldiers Battalions.

These boys are volunteers in an age of conscription.

They are interested in the Army, otherwise they would have waited to be called up In the ordinary

way.

They are ambitique: and want to. be already proficient at an age when their contemporaries aro raw recruits.

It is clearly our duty to help them to be so.

"Well," naked the colonel, when I had got back, "What do you think of my boyɛ?"

I told him, I thought they had had a tough delih. I received i ten-shilling smile).

TO MORROW.

Royal Armoured Training Corps Cantre

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BOY MEETS GIRL

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(Kowloon) @jimmy's Kitchens

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