OTAGO-SOCTHLAND REGIMENT

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29101, 13 January 1960, Page 15

OTAGO-SOCTHLAND REGIMENT

Territorial Troops At Burnham

Three hundred territorials of the Ist Battalion, Otago-South-land Regiment, are taking part in their annual camp at Bumham. About half the number comprised young recruits who had enlisted since the end of compulsory military training last year, Captain C. W. N. Stanbridge, of 3rd Infantry Brigade headquarters in Christchurch, said yesterday. The battalion is a component of the brigade and its members are based mainly in Dunedin and Invercargill. While newcomers undergo basic drills, trained soldiers, n.c.o.’s and officers will carry on with jungle work culminating in an exercise next week.

Officers yesterday began a twoday tactical exercise without troops in the Little Malaya forest-manoeuvre area behind Oxford. Their exercise is based on the defence of a rocket launcher site in their area against an enemy force of raiding parties and paratroops moving in from south of Rakaia. From next Monday to Wednesday an element of the battalion will pose as a live enemy to test jungle defence by the battalion as a unit.

On the final day of the exercise the Air Force will demonstrate jungle supply dropping technique. Visit by Army Chief Several high-ranking Army officers will visit the battalion in camp. They will include the Chief of the General Staff (Major-General Sir Cyril Weir), who will inspect a parade on January 21 in his capacity of General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Division. Other visitors will include the brigade commander (Brigadier T. B. Morten, of Little River), the Colonel of the Regiment (Brigadier A. S. Falconer, of Dunedin), the G.S.O. 1, New Zealand Division (Colonel H. A. Purcell), and the Director of Infantry and Training at Army Headquarters (Lieutenant-Colonel F. A. Rennie). The territorial officer commanding the battalion at Burnham is Lieutenant-Colonel D. L. Wood, a Dunedin solicitor.