EASTER MANOEUVRES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 441, 25 February 1909, Page 4

EASTER MANOEUVRES.

features of the operations. A "SKELETON" ENEMY. In thecourse vof :a' oonvewationj with Colonel A. W. Robin,.. C.8., Chief of tho General Staff, a/representative.- of rna Dominion yesterday gathered some .unpres- . sioris of the manoeuvres to bo hold; by..,M| i ■■ troops in the Wellington district., command ... at Oringi, Woodvillo, next - Easter. As Uas . already been anticipated, m, The Dominion: . f . iho .'salient points of tho general/scheme; of /• - operationsare :—(l) Field jhring,for infantry. v. and : artillery/-with ; 'service ; ammunition j, U) .... inclusionof/defence'bidet's'arid iriflo'Mub'men/:.:/;:. within the >/i/It has generallybeen' supposed that ; tha '.- Easter camp this year .was/to bo entirely -~ instructional, hi branches of work .other thaa: .manoeuvre's/and that, tho attack and' defcnca :; /< ■ operations carried out in tho vicinity of \\el- . lington '.with -so .; 1 . , would - riot be a feature ■ of' .the. work .to; bp. attempted'-this Easter... This, howover,' is :/.»■ not correct. The; essentials of last years.' : manoeuvres .are still to* be retained, but with important modifications./ Following uponi tho. >?:■. - lines, adopted at,tho:last.military- manoeuvres onSalisbury Plains, Eriglaiicl, '.the.'.'BlueV. : 0r.... force, will be very niuch reduced in actual numbers; 'though not in ■' tactical strength conceded by tho umpires. In .other . /-. words.: tho:"Blue" force is but credited with' the- powers; of a ; fully- - • - . equipped field'force;.: Consequently, the tions of the "Red," or defending force, will be influenced by what thy enemy s -force represents aiul noi by what it . The _ v , object of..this, idea is '-.to;more, fuly v equips/;, and handle the "Red", force as. a field column,-. . with -transport; service,: linesof e-orr.TOunica- -.: tions, medical' service, etc.- a - column • com* -y ■ plete in itself—in a : hostile.. country,. ( with ,-j ■-\ enemies all about-it, ' './.; At the climax,.when the manoeuvres of tho opposing forces have..produced, a situation- . which can only bo determined by artillery or ' ' rifle fire, the skeleton force will .be with* drawn/surprise targets substituted). hnd ball/";// cartridge-arid 15-pounder : shrapnel; willl.tw/.',/. used.' Tho fire' cffect will then be ase'ertaihedv/:/ and : the loss ••• of -aiyantago iii' positio'n beiug determinedbj>;/ /' tho fire effect-. . / ; v/:/'/:;;-,v\t:;// ; .'/,-'.-// i/ Another' point of ..distinction /.as/between j/-. --. this and last; year's: manoeuvres, is; the: i«>r-sonnel-.pf .the .commanders,/ Last: year; . tho'/// staffs-oi/either side were, composed; of- volun/ /'? tcer officers, whoso work was criticised by/- 1 ' the officers of: the .permanent staff ;':this;year/;Z; ■ the' critics will .themselves be' criticised : the ; . operations will bp under'' the\ control, of// Lieutenant-Colonel BaucKop/ C:M;G., ! : Offib'er.;. : '/' Commanding the .AVdlin^oiv-district, and a ;/: . specially-selected staff///At/every, 1 point/the/;/ organisation': and tactical .disposition'of. tho ''/ troops will be tested—camp sanitation, trans- - port,-; and so , forth—and tbo.:'': wholo : -should;'constitute' a. very Valuable series / ''' of lessons in practical work in tho field;