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MANPOWER in the broadest meaning of the word was the main task of HQ 2 NZEF – to make sure that there was an adequate supply of reinforcements, that the supply to the Division was speedy and reliable, and that the most economical (the optimum) use was made of what men we had. It is this last portion of the task that was the most difficult, but at the same time the most interesting.

One of the duties of G-SD at HQ 2 NZEF was to keep an up-to-date appreciation of the manpower position in the force, showing establishment, posted strength, number of reinforcements available, likely wastage for the next three months and so on. At any moment the position could be clearly seen. Like all purely statistical documents, however, the appreciation was suspect. Heads of corps, in particular, always looked on it with the deepest suspicion, for they never would believe that they really had the men available as shown. Admittedly the numbers in depots at the moment never agreed with the numbers shown in the appreciations as available, partly owing to time-lag, and partly to temporary absences of men on leave or courses or extra-regimental duties; but the numbers did exist somewhere in the force. An example of one appreciation is contained in Appendix IV.