FULL WAR KIT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 246, 25 July 1940, Page 8

FULL WAR KIT

NEW ZEALANDERS IN BRITAIN.

TACTICAL MANOEUVRES HELD.

(From the Official War Correspondent attached to the New Zealand Forces in Great Britain.) LONDON, July 23.

Between midnight and daylight this morning troops of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the United Kingdom returned to their several camps, after five days and nights ol full-scale tactical manoeuvres in the southern regions of England. The exercise vas a regular part of their advanced training; but the area chosen would have been among the danger spots had Britain been invaded during the weekend, as the press and public widely believed possible. Accordingly the troops took the field in full war equipment, prepared at any moment to turn makebelieve to the real thing. As they exercised under strict active service conditions, they bivouacked, cooked, and messed in the open-They-dug-in immediately they occupied new positions, whether by day or night, stood-to for an hour at dawn and dusk, and even drew rum rations. The whole force participated, moving in its new organisation. The exercise included the practice of mass movement of transport, as well as reconnaissance, occupation, and consolidation of advance and withdrawal from forward defence positions. All ranks agreed that this was the most valuable of the much valuable training that has been received in the last month.

On Friday Lord Caldecote (Secretary of State l for the Dominions) inspected the troops at their battle posts.. The outward journey to the “front” was made entirely awheel, the infantry travelling in a fleet of buses, which were also employed in moving brigades to the front line from the 'reserve and vice versa. Yesterday afternoon, however, when they withdrew from the defensive positions, all units marched 17 miles along lovely country roads before joining the buses, wit,h a break half-way for the evening meal. Residents along the various routes were marvellously good to the New Zealanders, offering tea, coffee, cocoa, beer, cigarettes, chocolate', and fruit. A typical experience was that of cayalry troopers, who- w/ere out all night protecting the flank of an entrenched infantry battalion. They were' adopted by a peer’s daughter, whose home adjoined, and Wore given hot baths, high tea, supper, and in the early morning tea. Buses, lorries, guns, and tanks clattering through brought whole villages to their front gates. Their display of good wishes as we proceeded, like their hospitality when we halted, was most moving. It practically enabled ns to forget that we are still without a mail from home. One grey-haired lady ran down her garden path holding aloft a large New Zealand ensign. Mothers with babies waved, hundreds of girls threw kisses, children cheered wildly, and civen the most staid of roadside watchers gave us the übiquitous “thumbs up” sign, bv which the civil population in Britain demonstrates its own immovable determination and assurances to the fighting services of its loyal support all the way to victory.