Fire-Power Of Support Weapons Demonstrated

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28321, 5 July 1957, Page 13

Fire-Power Of Support Weapons Demonstrated

Sitting on a rain-swept, tussocky slope at the West Melton range, wearing sacking-camouflaged steel helmets and with khaki capes about their shoulders, 300 Territorial Army trainees yesterday saw a demonstration of the firepower of an infantryman’s support weapons.

Vickers, machine-guns, threeinch mortars and six-pounder anti-tank guns were fired under field conditions by members of a support company now in training with the infantry company at Burnham military camp. Lurching over the hummocky ground in weapons carriers the support company men showed how soon they could bring their weapons into action, and at what range.

With every fifth round a tracer, the infantrymen could follow the lines of flight of the machineguns’ fire and see them spattering targets laid against the butts 600 yards off.

Two mortar parties put up a

smart demonstration of accurate laying and rapid fire. Smoke bombs were included to give a more dramatic touch. “In this weather,” commented an officer, “they can see how quickly smoke can disperse in a high wind. They’d have to be up behind it pretty quickly.” Then the anti-tank batteries bounced down into the hollow, unlinked their weapons from behind the carriers, and were in action within seconds. They fired blanks, but a realistic touch was added when a primer attached to the rear of one of the targetcarriers was fired to simulate a hit. The timing was perfect. These youths, both infantrymen and support men, are in the last phase of their training. They will march out at a ceremony at Burnham military camp on Sunday week, when the salute will be taken by the Minister of Railways (Mr J. K. McAlpine).