SHELL FIRE.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18603, 30 January 1926, Page 17

SHELL FIRE.

BATTERY AT WORK. GUN PRACTICE AT SHEFFIELD. Farmers round about Sandouii, a mile or two from the small township of Sheffield, have been given all the glamour and delights of war (if there be any) without the horrors during the past week. On Thursday and yesterday the low-lying hiils resounded to the roar of artillery, and in places patches of the hill-side present the appearance of battle-scarred land, where shells from IS-pounders have torn into the ground. Red screens have been seen on the sky-line, denoting observation points, and here and there were dotted, glistening in the sun, the various observing instruments used for directing shell lire. The culminating point in the year's intensive training of the 9th Battery has been reached, arid the most interesting part arrived at —the annual camp. Most of the men—anil there are about 100 of them —left Christchurch six days ago with the-pallor generally seen in the face of the city man. But now all are bronzed and feeling remarkably fit. The Great Day. They have been looking forward to the actual operation of the artillery for quite a long time, and when the order was given yesterday for the battery to take up its gun position, the horses were rushed into place, and guns were limbered up in an incredibly short space of time, all ranks showing a keenness that could have been born only by showing strong interest in the work. Yesterday was really the filial day of the camp, and the men will return to Christchurch to-day. At all colleges nowadays there is a gun team, and, of course, special officers in charge. As well as being excellent experience for the rank and file of the battery, the camp gives an opportunity to those officers to keep in touch with Battery work, and suffer no loss of benefit from their past experience. "Tactical stunts." Yesterday, Sundown was the scene of a "tactical stunt." It was supposed that the north and south were at war. The enemy was holding an imaginary line from Abner's Head to a point 4000 yards distant. Information had been received that the north advanced troops had reached, the imaginary line, and a force of south troops, consisting of one mixed brigade, was billeted for the night in the vicinity of Coalgate. They were covered by outposts. The following morning the march was resumed and the advanced guard to which the battery belonged, moved north in the direction of tho South Malvern Hills road. At 10 a.m. the forward troops of the advance guard reached the road junction where tlioy were held up by machine-gun fire. The advance guard commander, with infantry held up, then used the artillery fire to enable him to advance. Excellent Shooting. The manoeuvres were carried .out speedily and effectively and the range party and observation point' signalled that the shells were landing in just the right "spots. The Battery Commander was Lieutenant F. R. Mitchell, and the gun position officer was Lieutenant Kensington. Shrapnel was used, and two sections, each of two guns, were in action, directing their fire at an object 3200 yards away. All day long a strong northwest wind blew, making accurate shooting somewhat difficult. Lieutenant F. M. Mitchell was in charge of the first serie3 of shooting, lieutenant Ofcley the .second series, Second-Lieutenant J. M. Mitchell the third series, and Second-Lieutenant Masters the fourth series. Further gun practice took place in the afternoon. Supervising the artillery operations were Colonel M. M. Gard'ner. O.C. Southern Command, and LieutenantColonel R. C. Wickeijs, Brigade Commander. • The 10th Battery will go into camp on Tuesday next, the 16th Pack Battery on February 9th.