HOME GUARD PARADE

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23482, 10 November 1941, Page 9

HOME GUARD PARADE

CHRISTCHURCH NORTH BATTALION

More than 400 officers, non-commis-sioned officers, and men of the Christchurch North battalion of the Home Guard took part yesterday in one ot the biggest all-day parades of the Home Guard yet held in Canterbury. The parade was at the Tai Tapu rule range. During the day the men received instruction in musketry, bombing practice, indication and recognition, fieldcrafl and camouflage. So thorough was the practical instruction which had been absorbed by the men beforehand that one guardsman who previously had never fired a rifle put all his five shots on the bull. Seven tramway buses and two trucks picked up guardsmen of the various companies from the Fendalton, St. Albans, Elmwood, and Waimairi Schools and from the Harewood, Papanui, and Belfast districts early in the morning. The convoy assembled at the Addington Show Grounds and at 8.45 a.m., laden with men, moved oil to Tai Tapu headed by the battalion commander (Major T. M. Charters) and the adjutant (Captain G. E. H. Garden) in a car. Corporals were posted at the main corners to direct the traffic, which was under the charge of Sergeant H. Hill, transport officer for the day. All the men, who were dressed in civilian clothes, carried either their own or impressed rifles, but for the shooting on the .303 range, rifles lent by the Army authorities were used. Captain K. Walker, assisted by three staff sergeant-majors, conducted the range operations, the results of which were very satisfactory and indicated sound training in the groundwork stages, as many of the men had never fired .303 rifles before. Interested spectators of the day’s operations were Colonel D. S. Murchison, D.5.0., Group Director of the Home Guard, and Major J. A. Guild, assistant director. “The whole day's activities were carried through with clockwork precision and without a hitch of any kind,” said the adjutant (Captain Garden). "The weather throughout was cold and overcast, but this did not in any way impede the success of the day,” he added. Provision was made for the men’s lunch, coppers of boiling water were prepared, and sugar, tea, and milk were supplied. At 4.30 p.m. battalion drill was held, and the parade concluded with a church service.