Draft dodgers can expect a visit from the regiment paddy wagon if they continue to hold out, the Defence Department warned yesterday.

Administrator Larry Burchall said the list of a couple of hundred hardcore draft dodgers would be published on Friday in The Royal Gazette and there would be no hiding place for them under a new law passed this month.

He said those who had their names published and had not replied by October when their names were published again would be expected for their medical in November. "If not a green car will come to where they live or where they are employed and a soldier will say you must come with me now."

He said the regiment had a tremendous body of knowledge and deserters could not expect to get away with it for long.

"We will know when the guy is at football or at the club. You can't hide in your community. Mothers and fathers know were they are. We are not looking for fugitives, we have the full support community."

The regiment is gearing up to use the new Defence Amendment Act 2002 which allows people to be enlisted in their absence if they fail to show up at Warwick Camp when they should.

Mr. Burchall said it would stop deserters clogging up the courts and wasting regiment time and help boost numbers in the island's mostly part-time Regiment which is currently undermanned by about 200 conscripts. One stay-away recruit had objected when the regiment came calling at his workplace because he felt it put his job in jeopardy, said Mr. Burchall.

"We pointed out if he had done what he was supposed to do we would not be there."

He said he expected deferral applications would be coming thick and fast in the next few weeks with evidence of school fees being paid.

He said there were around 800 on the deferred list who would have to come out with sound reasons why they were avoiding the call-up, although he said most had been in touch with the regiment. He said: "Probably about two thirds to three quarters will be responsible and do the right thing. But if someone has been ducking we will smoke them out."

He said just 97 soldiers had responded to the January 2001 call up while the January 2002 figure of around 120 didn't make up for a shortfall in strength and it was time to build numbers up by recruiting up to 200 a year before getting back to an average of around 150-160 a year.