EASTER VOLUNTEER MANOEUVRES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12479, 16 April 1906, Page 9

EASTER VOLUNTEER MANOEUVRES.

THE CAMP AT BALMORAL

USEFUL WORK

' When tho different umpires' reports were gathered, it was found that the j engagement of Friday was on© of the j most useful held for a long time in Canterbury. Both defence and attack •.vrro conducted with great intelligence on tho part, of officers and men. The story ot tho maucuuvres showed that although a t'cw mistakes were made, tho effort of ihe work would have told if carried out in the face of an enemy. Tho raiding force under Colonel Chaffey, after proceeding to Culverden, made m demonstration enveloping the detentions of tho cvnii p flunk, towards Ual-mor-al, covering a front of ahont twelve mile*. The plan ot attack was well carried out, and received tho unanimous approval of the umpires. A number of tho Aelvburton Mounted Rifles, however, wcw Uncivil out of action. They camo within range of a couple of companies of tho defender. Tlw> defence, conducted by Colonel Smit'ji was aL&> well carried through; tho defenders had the advantage of being located in « country where there was little cover for attacking horsemen, and at the same tune go*xi ground for inian'ry, Co.onel Smith had with him v small mounted ioree ol eighteen riflo, uhirh, witii the CycLfttu, undv-r Oaptdin Finnic, did good work, keeping the Colonel -well intormed aa to the movements of raiders. Signal fetation* were established, and penect communication was maintained throughout all units. A large amount ot i-kir-mirihing \\fiM done- iate in the afternoon uiong tho whole lront, and tho operations ot all units came under the .searching criticism ot a large Malt of umpires, win) expressed approval ot ttie plan ot defence. Ono company got out of touch with its follows, tind were cut off., but at'hij.nvi.«j the defence was good. The, eh of umpire in a general order oxprcused his appreciation ot tho work done. THE ACTION AT MONTROSE SADDLE. When the general idea instructing thti Uutomkirs; u> prevent a junction of tho raiders with their main body on Mont rose Saddle on Saturday was issued, it was at onco seen that an interesting day's work would ensue. The commanders of both raiders and detendors were changed, Captain Deans having chargo of tlie former and Major Creswoll of the latter. Colonels Chatiey and Smith were transferred to tho Umpire Staff. Captain Deans's force consisted of the C.V.C., Ashburton and Amuri Mounted lliflej,, and the E Battery with two guns, -te the mounted lorce mustered up they looked sw workmanlike a body as ono could wish to meet. The hills (only tome four miles away) in which they were to work was idoal ground for mounted riflemen, as hero they would have to exercise every talent they had in the way of scouting, skirmishing, and hor.vomanship. A conin'enoo took place between Captain Deans and his officers, and a few minutes after ten o'clock the body moved olf. An .advance- guard and (scouts were thrown out. Ihe C.V.C., under Captain R H. Rhodes, were in the lead. Then came the Ashburton Mounted Jtiftes, under Captain Studholine, nearly lifty strong, and these were followed by the Amuri Mounted Rifles, under Captain Johnston. In tho centre of tho Amuris was their galloping Maxim, drawn by a couple of stout horsey. Then carao the E Battery, under Lieutenant Duncan, tho powerful horses drawing tho guns over tho rough ground with apparent case.

Tho objective of tho foiTO was tho Mont rose saddle. To roach this they had to pass over iho Pah an rivor, and a> pretty eight tliey mudo «s the lengthy string of horsemen and tho fiold guns •with their escort dashed through tho water, which, although not very deep, ran fairly fast there. Once acrctie the river aw«y thoy went up tho hills. In tho meantime Major Creswell, who was conducting tho defence, had ordered his mounted force, whioh consisted of eighteen men under Captain Macartney, to discover tho enemy, and that officer carried out his duties with despatch. Ho arrived at tho ford of tho Pahau about twenty minutes after tho guns had passed, and tracking tho raiders by tho impressions of their horses' hoofs and gun wheel marks left in the road, ho came into touch with tho enemy just under tho Montroso saddle. Having exchanged shots with them, he retired to a position on. tho camp side, of the river. A few minutes later Captain Macartney made another dash across the river, only to bo again driven back. While this affair of outposts was going on Major Creswell, who understood he whs to defend his camp from the raiders rather than prevent their junction with their main body, had thrown out the City Guards, College Rifles, and City Rifles' under Captain F. C. B. Bishop, to a point on tho banks of tho Pahau to the east of tho Moiitroso saddle. Captain Bishop on arrival on the banks of the river detached the City Rifles to a position about a mile and a quarter to the left of Mb position, aad extended the City Guards and College Rifles to connect with them, fanmiais a firouiit of about a milo and a half. Tho Ajrtilksry Division, uiulor Majcr C.J. Coopor, consisting of the Lytitelton Na-vaJs, X Batteiy, Ettg:in.i«ire, and Kaiapcd and Rangiora Uiflcs, had boon thrown out to a pceitioii on tiho right of that occupied by Captain Bk-thcp, and an tho northeast of Montro*© Saddle. This may be called the ccntro of tho pcisi'tion. A prominent object between the ca,mp and tho jvwiitiion olirsen was a lw.vs.taok, and hero Major Cooper decided, to leave ono of his Maxims, with a Strang siippr.it, and wonrt on towards Montroso Saddle, dropping nion every 50 yanls as skirmishetrs or eoouts, tfhus forming a chain of caniniiinicatk«i from point to point. The main hody took up n position opposite a hill known as Cooper's Knob, and found the enemy almost on. top of them. Major Cooper fiowt a few men up thi> hall, and a Maxim detachment, ooneiffting of the X Battery, were detailed to fellow- to the rid.ge. Tho a> gino?rs, under LLoutemnnt Edinger. rt»'ablished a holio sfcatioa on the mdo of th-3 hill, and kept up orxn mil mention wtiih a helio station owtabldslied in the camp, also by tV* Engineers, nndo-r Sergeant LisJlrt foot, w-lipnce the opiirations were directed by Major Creswell, ed by Ca.ptaii:i Mathiae. The enemy now took up a petition on a ridgp al>ovf> r)io Pah«n. upon wh.ioh Major Coopoainnnediniely opened fire. The fight was now of a ding-dong nature, the brunt having io bo lx>mo by Major Oc»pe>r's division*. A of men were pushed over the rivor, n.nd ensconced in flax btishe*. wJiero thry rcmaiti«l otrt of virw of tho enemy. The E Bjittery guns movetl up rn> close formation, and were, opened on by the Maxims at 1000 Tlie Eriffineore had meanw'iile extended, covering with their sixty men a let cf ground. Orders were passed from flink to flank by flags and word of month. Tho> cover taken by a*l the division was excellent, their pcsiticji nor. b'ing iweaTed until the enemy was clo.-e upan them.

While Major Cooper was tearing the brunt of tho fight, the force nnder Captain Bishop was manoeuvred in. fiucJi a manner that it coukl Ik- manipulated at any point Th.> companies wen* kept well in touch, and advanced to the bro-w of tlio hill, liavin.g passed over the river. Tho Colk\ge Riflefi were iiich-ajict'd. ana ult.imat-oily camo into contact with the enomy, holding in einek two email bodies of rnoun-ted men. Major Onf»>weH. h-aving received a n««----sagf that the enemy wore pressing Ga.p-

I tain Bishop's position, despatched tha I oojjm he hail retained in camp to his a&sietance. Captain Draytoii with tho 2So. '1 Infantry battalion. iia<i bevu despatched to take up a position [ near the railway line, extending towards tho ford of the river near Montroec Saddle. For a time he held his posij tion here, but receiving information that tho enemy were to the east of the Ford, ho advanced a company to assist lin holding tho position there, in case on ' attack woo made across it. Although I Captain Bishop had hii> thare of repel 1I ing tho enemy, the brunt of the tight i was lx>rno by Major Cooper, who, with I the force under his command, did wonders." The work by the raiders was of a smart a.nd determined nature, the horsej main hip being clever, especially on the hill country, where the horses travelled over a lot of -*te«?p, in. fact, almost mountainous country. The hills were 'negotiated with apparent ease, and the manner in which the men took cover, and scouted shewed they thoroughly understood their work. Undoubtedly Cintain Deana was the hero of the eno;.Mn:er. . course where the opposing eiues v. ...' working different schemes there could be no decision; in fact, while Major de-well effectually defended las camp, Captain Deuos did all that was ank<d of him, and did it well. Ho effected the j miction required. Ihe men Major Cooper showed what v, r.-aulo t,old»ers they are, as although their special work is Garrison Artillery, thov appeared as much at home in inI'antry wotk. Special pnrne was allotted to tho EiMjinivrs for the maiuicr in uhich ilwy roiiglir the enemy, as well a* lor the usefulness tliey displayed in heliograph stations, and dins keeping Major Creewel in touch with his outermost pc* t!i - lho utility c.i the Cyclists also was put to tho proot. They ««tablish«l flag Nations between Ijodivs as well as in the camp. FIELD FIRING OPERATIONS. When the orders were issued for the Easter manoeuvres for l!)OtJ, it war> understood that hold firing was to be. the principal feature of the operations, and theretore whatever work was done in the earlier part of the camp_ would only be the preliminary to the tie Id firing with ball cartridge. Again and attain doubts havo been expressed as to tho advisability of aUowing tho men to indulge in tactics with tho means of death in their hands, but experience has proved that if properly handled men can control themselves at all times. On Saturday evening orders wore isfitted to the troops to fall in at nine o'clock to repel a raiding enemy that was reported as approaching from the direction of Hanincr. On Saturday a number of targets composed ot' painted calico and straw board had been erected by Captains Treleaven and Mcddings. These were to represent tho different bodies of the enemy, horse, foot and artillery, and it was to operate against these with ball cartridge and live shell tho troops in camp were called upon. Ib was ten o'clock before tho E Battery moved out of camp, making their way towards the Montrose hills. Their targets were exceedingly difficult to pick up, being located in some scrub. Ser-gcaait-Major Lczarrl, who was in charge gave the range at «3GOO or 4000 yards, using the bracket system, and it was found that the exact range was 3800 yards. Shell after shell was despatched, tho Uattory making some excellent shooting, and disturbing tho targets with great frequency. After firing several rounds tho Battery moved out of action, the infantry taking up the firing. The Ist battal.on advanced on the right of tho position, opening fire at long ranjje at a vet of targets representing infantry in small bodies. The shooting from tho litart was good, the targets suffering. Tho companies were advanced by short rushes, plenty of advantage being taken of the cover afforded by the long tussocks. The No. 2 battalion was now brought into action, and opened fire on the left. Here again the section and company commanders controlled tho fire of their men with admirable tact and effect. The artillery division were away to the right, their targets representing cavalry and infantry. The Maxims were brought into pay, but after a time firing was stopped. 520 rounds only being tired. The targets were exceedingly difficult to pick up, perhaps more difficult than any others, but notwithstanding this good shooting was mado. The Mounted Brigade had meanwhile proceeded up the river-bed, wnere they came upon the targets. Opening at a very short range, they pot in effective fire. Tho galloping Maxim had 4a in arrow escape, as a pin came out just as they were crowing the river, but luckily tho smartness of the men saved matters. While tho infantry and mounted "men wero at work, the Battery came into action again, wiis time opening at 2000 and '- —J yards, finding the true range at 1975 yards. Here splendid shooting took place, quito equal to that of the other section. Cease fire sounded at 1.30, when the men returned quite tired, after a useful morning's work.

The Field Service Ambulance Stations were formed by the Bearer Corps, under the command of Surgeon-Captain Little, who has performed tho duties of medical officer for both camps. The ammnnition eupply was und-er the charge of Brigade Quartermaster Batchelor, who followed the troope over the heavy ground in the E Battery's Army Service \Vaggon, and by this means the ammnnition eupply was kept up, and the firing lines supplied. NOTES. Divino service was held at the camp yesterday afternoon, when there was a large attendance of volunteers and visitors from tho country around. The Rev. H. R. Dewsbury conducted the service. Tiie N Battery, who have a Maxim mun attached to their company,, have secured a niachino for filling the Maxim bslts ammiuiition. Previously this was a most tedious task, having to be done by hand. When a beltis fully loaded it carries 250 rounds. With the aid of this filler the whole of tho belts for the gun may be loaded in a few minutes. The great point about the machine is the exactness of the cartridges in the belt. This was a great difficulty when tho belt was loaded by hand, and consequently jamming was frequent.

Tho heliograph, which is worked by the Kiigineers, has been doing extremely good work in camp. The instrument; consists of a small round mirror, which is placed in the sun, and tho reflection is seen at a great distance. By moving the mirror upland down it transmits a MMMt'K of flashes to which tho Morse wdo is ndopted. Thus apparatus can lew carried by a man without inconvenience. It was uwd with groat suceres in the Balmoral manceuvres, and the officers in cunp was kept fully in touch with what the oneray were doin<i for miles round. The Begbio lamp is another means of camnmnication used by this company. It is a lamp with a strong which can bo econ from a groat distance away, fitted with a shutter. By working the shutter the light is made- to flash at long or ehcrt intervals s.nd with the aid of the Msnee codo messages are transmitted. There have been no manoeuvres at night yet. but tho Engineers were out on Saturday night aVid put in a useful practice with the lamp. The paradw state to date wiowr 687 men in camp. __.