OUR VOLUNTEERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 92, 22 April 1891, Page 5

OUR VOLUNTEERS.

SHAM-FIGHT AT NORTH SHORE,

MIMIC ATTACK ON AUCKLAND.

The volunteer sham-tight and attack on Auckland's defences which took place at the North Shore last night should be the beginning of a new system of things in connection with the training of our volunteers so as to render them of some practical use in case of actual warfare. The 'Government are evidently disposed to place the system of volunteering on a more satisfactory footing than ib has hitherto been, and Major Goring, the nevr officer in command of the Auckland volunteer district, is making arrangements for the different branches of the service to be given practical instruction in defence duties ab the local fortifications.

A considerable amount of interest was displayed in the sham attack and defence ah the Shore lasb evening, and the affair proved instructive to a degree as illusbrabing the fortune which might befall a hostile party attempting to land from Rangitoto Channel. The affair originated through a suggestion of Capt. Kohn, officer commanding the Auckland City Guards Volunteer Company, who are ab present encamped for drill at the North Shore. It was at firsb thoughb thab the affair would be of small proportions, bub it turned out to be very interesting, the naval portiou ot the manoeuvres being especially so.

The Ciby Guards were camped close to Cheltenham Beach. The night was a splendid moonlight one, and everything was favourable for a thorough course of practical drill in attacking and defence work.

Shortly after seven o'clock in the evening the " main force " for tha defence, consisting of the Newton Rifles (20 men) under Captain Robertson and Lieuteuants Durham and Taylor, the Royal Irish under Captain Tobin, and tho Victoria Rifles under Lieutenant Eaglebon, joined the City Guards, and when all were mustered it was found that the defending force wero 80 strong.

The Auckland and Ponsonby Naval Companies shortly arrived from town in their bouts, the former being under command of Lieutenant Parker and the latter under Captain Millar. The Navals, who were to form the attacking party, were sixty strong.

The original idea in arranging the fight was that the navals should effecb a landing for their boabs somewhere along bhe shore of Rangitoto Channel outside the North Head, out as far as Stark's Point or tho Narrow Neck, and march under fire towards the camp on Cheltenham Beach, driving back the pickets and outposts as they advanced. On making the camp and finding the superior strength of numbers'there, thoy were t'» at once fall back in order and retire to their boats. This, however, was not followed out by Lieut. Parker's party of navals, who rather spoilt bhe whole plan.

In order to render the forces large enough to protect the area of attack, and also to increase the attacking party, it was arranged thateach man of the defending force should be counted as ten and each naval as five, this making tho wholo strength of the Kitles 800, and the attacking party 300. Captain Kohn's defence arrangements were that the attacking forces should, on landing in Rangitoto Channel, drive back the outposta and scouts until thoy were in tho vicinity of the camp, when the " assembly " and "advance '" would be sounded and the hostiles be driven back to the beach.

About seven p.m., Captain Kohn sent out a detachment ot ton men under ColourSergeant Taylor to act an scouts and outposts on Stark's Point, and anethor detachment of ten men under Sergeant Maxwell to guard the roads leading from the Point to the camp, where, the main body was. Another detachment of ten under Sergeant Oaken,was sent over to the North Head, whence they were to guard the strip of beach from the head to the camp. Each non-com. had strict; instructions from tbe officer commanding to give tiie alarm when the Navals landed by tiring one Bbot, and then to gradually retire on the camp,, keeping up a small fire the while to check the enemy. Capb. Robertson and his company were detailed to guard the camp in the direction of the North Head, and Capt. Tobin with 15 men was told off to guard tbe face of the beach, towards the North Head. Lieutenant Durham with half his company was detailed to take up a position immediately in front of the camp, facing the beach, and a detachment of Guards was ordered to Stark's Point and its vicinity. The main body, consisting of the Victoria Rifles and some of the City Guards, remained in camp under Captain Kohn. The Navals commenced their attacking operations by proceeding round the North Head in their boats about 8.30 p.m. in tow of the p.s. Takapuna, which they attached as a cruiser, and making down Rangitoto Channel. There were three naval cutters in all, filled with men. The navals had armed the steamer with a four pounder gun, which they subsequently used to cover then-landing, though with little effect, as only one shot was heard. Two of the boats left the stoamor just round the North Head, and the other (in charge of Lieutenant Parker) kept on for Stark's Point. The first party of Navals landed near Stark's Point shortly before 9 p.m., aiid the alarm was at once given by the outposts, who then retired slowly, in accordance with instructions. In the meantime tbe other boat with 16 men under a noncommissioteJ officer, landed near the Point, and also made their way towards the camp, with the outpost retiring before them. Lieutenant Parker got under tho left wing and made for the camp, under a heavy tire from the left flank of tho main body, and finally ran his men at the double right into camp. Captain Kohn ab once had the "ceasefire" sounded and then "Fall in." When tbe force fell in thero wore found to be 15 files (30 men) in camp, to the Navals' 16 men, so that on tho arranged basis of computation the defenders were as 300 men to 80, thus greatly outnumbering the attacking party, who, it is held, should have retired on their boats on finding the superior strength of the defence party. Lieutenant Parker advanced his men at tha double during part of their march and ran into camp rather too hastily. This caused tho fighting on the left flank to be very short. In the meantime Lieutenant Millar had landed with his men just under the North Head, and at once met with a sharp fire from the outposts, who retired on the camp, firing at intervals. The Ponsonby Navals haie opened out in skirmishing order, and followed up the retiring pickets in very good order. Lieutenant Millar evidently had a thorough grasp of the situation, and acted according to the prearranged programme, retiring on finding the superiority of the.land forces. At the conclusion of the sham fight, Major Goring, who was On the ground all the evening, acting as umpire, called the officers to the front atid pointed out the faults and mistakes made on either side. He referred especially to the lack of control over their men which the non-commis-sioned officers seemed to havo whilo on outpost duty. His decision was, that in the face of the fact that there was such a superiorforcein camp, thedefendera had held their own, and had the fight been in actual warfare, the Navals would have been completely driven back and slaughtered. Following this the City Guards entertained the visitors, having an abundance of refreshments provided. The band played a number of selections on the plateau after the fight, and on returning to town in the p.s. Takapuna played the " Marsellaise "as the steamer passed the French warship Cbamplain. ' . During the progress of the sham fight the movements of the yolunteerfl were

greatly hindered by the crowding of the public, especially numbers of boys, on bhe ground of operations. Major Goring promised bhab ab the " fight" to be hold at the Shore on the 24th May, there would be no such impediment, and that the movements would be under the supervision of the officers, and under tho inspection of the umpires.

Such practical courses of instruction as these must bend to place volunteering on a better footing, and it is satisfactory bo find that arrangements have been made to have skirmishing drill and defence practice on the ground which would, in case cf war, be the chief scene of question in the event of a hostile attack being made on the city of Auckland.