MIMIC WAR

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 44, 2 August 1939, Page 4

MIMIC WAR

EXERCISES NEAR WHAKATANE WEEK-END BIVOUAC Useful and interesting work was done by unffcs of the Hauraki Regiment which bivouacked at Whaka. tane during the week-end, and spent a full day at field manoeuvres. These exercises were most successful. V Units from Tauranga, Te Puke, Rotorua Opotiki and Whakatane as, sembled on Saturday and spent tlie afternoon in general training. On Saturday night they paraded through the town 120 strong, headed by the Whakatane Municipal Band, ami when they returned to the bivouac in the Winter Show Hall they were given general leave unt 1 10.30 p.m. A comfortable night was spent and at 9 a.m. a church parade was ducted by the Rev S'.' G. Caultoo, who preached a sermon suitable ffllL, the occasion. The band was present again and played the hymns. The troops then moved off by motor lorry to the Mokor.'ua Golf Links. A troop of the Mounted Rifles formed an advance guard with one platooa of B Company of the Hauraki Regiment, and moved off ahead of one company of the Hauraki and a platoon of machine gunners. At thu Ohope turn-off B Company took up ft defensive position on, both sides of the road wh'le the mounted troops went forward by lorry to the OhiwaWhakatane read, and formed themselves into an attacking, force to move against this position. Lunch was served in the field after the forces had made contact and a lecture followed on, the whole the umpires, Major C. F. Thomas anil Captain G. H. Whyte, giving their • decisions. After further practice in advance guard formation on the way back Whakatane the troops embussed near the Mokorua links and arrived m town about 3.45. Gear was returned to s'tore and the force split up lor return to its homes. Major C. A. Le Lievre, second in command of the battalion, w r as in charge of the bivouac. Captain Brown Opotiki, commanding B Com pany, with Captain Dunbar. Rotorua, as second in command. The mounted troops were commanded by Lieutenant Santon during the tactical exercises. The umpires' criticism w T as very light. They said that the troops entered in'to the spirit of the show very Avell. Altogether office*:?, . N.C.O'o* aid othnr ranks took part in the sxrrrises. ;