Daily Post - 14.08.1941, Blaðsíða 3

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DAILY POST
Makino Men FitToCommaod
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“Octus” teacti cadets common sense and ieadership
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An army which has to be
rapidly expanded is always in
Urgent need of officers. To meet
*he demand in the present
eniergency, a number of Officer
^adet Training Units was crea-
ie<I and allotted to various
hranches in proportion to their
Srze- Each O.C.T.U. is expected
to turn out a sufficient number
°f officers a month.
As a general rule, no one can
^come a cadet without being
reeommended from either a
Serving or a training unit. —
^fficers of units keep their
eyes open for likely material,
a°d bring their candidates to
*he notice of their commanding
°fficer. If, after making his
observations, the com-
^anding officer agrees that the
man has a good enough brain,
a°d the necessary modicum of
e(fucation; and if he thinks he
has> or may develop, the char-
acter, the imagination, the
sense of responsibility and the
f^Wers of command and leader-
shiP looked for in an officer, he
s°bmits the man’s name.
The candidates are then inter-
vieAVed by a Command Board,
aild if the impression they
^ake there is favourable, their
atties go forward; then in due
tltíle, as vacancies occur, they
^et posted to various O.C.T.Us.
Months’ Couxse.
^he length of the course
varíes with the branch; the
jhore technical the latter the
ioPger the course. The sapper
course, for example, is six
months, the infantry four: but
whatever the branch, the gen-
eral outlines of the courses are
similar.
The first month or so is what
is called basic. There is phys-
ical setting up, drill, P.T. and
exercises generally, and where
intellectual instruction is con-
cemed, cadets are taken rapidly
through these things which
every officer ought to know
whatever his branch—military
law, organisation, administra-
tion (food, pay and so on), —
hygiene, mechanical transport,
map-reading, and a good deal
of tactics. After the first month
the cadet specialises on his own
technical job.
He has to pass a series of ex-
ams., and if he does so badly
in these as to argue a lack of
intellectual capacity, he is
rejected.
But there are other
grounds on which he may be
rejected. The officers, who are
usually most sympathetic, must
at all costs avoid recommending
for a commission a cadet un-
likely to inspire confidence in
his men or to consider their
welfare, one poorly endowed
with common sense, or who is
“flummoxed” by the unexpec-
ted. Training, besides teaching
military lore, aims at discover-
ing qualities that exist in a
candidate.
Deveioping Initiative.
These qualities, and a capa-
Thonsands Of “Morrisons”
Are On The ffay
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Indoor Shelter Is Bed And Table As
Wells A Woman Might Have Designed It
The Government’s new in-
door shelter, popularly known
as the “Morrison” after the
Minister of Home Securtiy, is
just the sort of shelter a wo-
man would have planned. It is
a space-saver because it is not
only a shelter. It provides you
with a bed by night (the sprung
floor takes a double-sized mat-
tress easily); and it serves as a
table by day, if you unhook
the side panels.
In these days of small houses
many of us tend to “make do”
with tables that are smaller
than is really convenient; but
the flat, steel top of the
“Morrison” shelter measures
6' 6" by 4'. It is the sort of
table on which you can cut out
a dress or use a sewingmachine
or prepare a meal in confort. It
is big enough to serve as a
diningtable for a large family.
Another attractive feature is
that this shelter is' moveable;
it is simlpy placed on the floor
like any other piece of fumi-
ture, and not clamped down in
any way.
Protection Against Débris.
“How much protection does a
‘Morrison’ shelter give? How
much safer am I sleeping in it
than' in my own bed, or under
an ordinary table, or under the
stairs?” These questions at
once occur to you.
The giteatest risk you run
when you sleep at home is
of being crushed by falling
débris. If you live in an aver-
age two-storeyed house and
sleep in a “Morrison” shelt-
er in a ground floor room,
.....
city to learn are the only things
that are allowed to count.
Nothing else matters. Discipline
is necessarily incucated, initi-
ative is developed.
The C.O. of the O.C.T.U.
interviews the candidates when
they come; and at the end of
the course grades them in
categories. Some are rejected,
but figures show that only
about 5 per cent. of candidates
fail to win the coveted commis-
sion.
you are not, of course, safe
from a direct hit, hut yo*
are safe from débris even if
the whole house falls in ou
you.
The “Morrison” shelter has
been designed, tested and prov-
ed to give this degree of pro-
tection—you can be by no
means certain about the safety
of that cupboard under the
stairs. Every side panel of the
“Morrison” shelter is easily
removed, so you have four pos-
sible exits.
The “Morrison” shelter is not
meant for houses more than two
or possibly three, storeys high.
It should be used in an upstairs
room. It should be placed clear
of the walls and, if possible,
not in a direct line with a door
or French windows.
Local Posters.
“Morrison” shelters are being
delivered by the thousand in
most cities and towns in the
industrial areas. You may see
them advertised locally by
posters. Anyone living in a
suitable house and earning not
more than £350 a year (plus
£50 for each child of school
age after the first two) can
apply to the local authority for
a free “Morrison” shelter, un-
less some other suitable shelter,
such as an “Anderson,” has al-
ready been provided. Besides
the free issue, there are “Morri-
son” shelters for sale at £7
each through the local aut-
horities.
WHAIÆ HUNTING.
(Continued from page 2).
wards exaggeration — the
whales are hardly the huge
leviathans of which we hear so
much — but generally weigh
about 2 tons or less. All the
same they are genuine whales!
Ask a Faroe islander!
Two professional English
magicians in Iceland — West-
op Vivian and Will A. Maze,
are anxious to contact other
conjurers, professional or ama-
teur, serving with the Iceland
Force, with the object of form-
ing a club. Apply at Toc. H.