GREAT DEFENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 76, 31 March 1941, Page 5

GREAT DEFENCE.

HOME GUARDSMEN. I i BROWN'S BAY "BATTLE." j The J2tTi (Devonport) ■ Battalion.l Home Guard, was exercised yesterday j in "defending"' Brown's Bay from an! "attack" by a party landing from the seaward side and attempting to seize 1 the Takapuna-Silverdale Road. TSiei attackers were G Company of the Devonport Battalion (Captain A. G.j Quartley) and the defenders, who had instructions to stop the attack at all costs, were A and B Companies of the 'battalion, commanded respectively by Captain G. Clark-Walker and Captain G. Lewin.

One operation was carried ont in very difficult terrain. but the defender.-: worked into positions enabling them to counter-attack. The plan of opera-! tions was supervised by Captain H. H.i Osmers, commanding the battalion, audi Serjeant-Major 8. Green, of the Auckland Area ■ Headquarters, umpired. At] an assembly of the forces criticism of; the operations of the several units wasl made by the officers commanding. i In the afternoon tactical exercises. | designed to jiive platoon commanders and X.C.O.'s practice in field control and! fire orders, were carried out under the supervision of Major A. W. Short, commanding Auckland Area Headquarters. The major later complimented the battalion on its very fine work, especially the siting of the machine-guns. Units from Takapuna. Northcotc and Birkenhead also combined yesterday under the leadership of Major K. J. Dellow to carrv ouf exercises at Shoal Bay.