EASTER MANOEUVRES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 461, 20 March 1909, Page 6

EASTER MANOEUVRES.

COAST DEFENCE AND LAND OPERATIONS. THE GENERAL SCHEME. 11l about three weeks' time tho Defc-noo •Forces of New Zealand will mobilise for their annual Easter training, and instructional campß will be held at the mobilisation centres in each military district.. As has previously been announced, the base of the operations in the Wellington military district has been fixed at Oringi, Woodville, which will shortly assume a warlike aspcct. Liout.-Colonel A.. Bauchop, C.M.G., Comiuauding the District, has drntteu a "general idea," upon which the tactical exercises to be carried out will be based. According to the general idea, a state of war is understood to exist between Britain and a neighbouring Power, and hostile troops hav» landed at. i'orangahau, presumably with the intention of seizing. the Woodville railway junction. The local forces have been mobilised, and in anticipation of the enemy's purposo have pushed forward, arid by 3 p.m. on Friday, April 9, will have reached Oringi and encamped. What is to happen after 3 p.m. oil Friday, April 9, nobody knows, except, of course, & privileged few, but it is generally supposed that the vicinity of Oringi will bo liberally slockec with ' surprise ' packets, and the liltle field column of defenders will have much to do to prevent their guns from being captured, their commissariat appropriated,' and their transport disorganised. At the Forlj. In a circular ■ addressed to the officers com* manding the New Zealand Garrison Artillery Divisions and the company units of the EoytJ New Zealand Artillery,-Captain G. S. Richardson, Chief Instructor- of -Artillery, makes tht following; announcement - with regard to* the coast defence operations:— "During Easter the'garrison artillery volun-teers-will, in conjunction, with th'o 11.N.Z.A., mobilise-in their respefctivo districts for tho purpose of-manning and fighting tho works of defence to which they are allotted, under servico conditions;" •. . ...

Contrasting the nature of the work with thai done at the company training camps, Captain Richardson ~ observes:—'"During the annual training camps the system of instruction aim# at raising the'efficiency of individuals, detachments, and companies.in order'that good-shoot* ing ina£ be carried out under, class-firing conditions. The chief object of Easter manoeuvre wimps, however, : should bo a' tost of 'the efficiency of Iho'artillexy divisioil as a whole,-and its ability to repel any form of attack-likely to be made on' the local defences, by day, or by Ji'ght' fhis should be borno in mind'by 0.0. ' divisions when arranging details of manoeuvres for tho Easter camp. A study'ot the local defeiuo scheme-.will assist them to work' out local problems of attack : and defence: Captain Richardson will act as director of manoeuvres at' Auckland this year, '-and in order ;to interfere as littlo as possible-with tho initiative of the officers commanding the Garrison Artillery divisions, each will, be allowed to work- out a-scheme 1 suited- to tho requirements of their particular districts. The arrangement of-the-coast defence operations at Mahanga-Bay will, .therefore, be :in the hands of Lieut.-Colonel-Ci. F.-C. Campbell,, commanding the Wellington division. Day-firing will-be'confined-to battle practice at long ranges, and under conditions ■ differing from ordinary-olass- firin'g, by arranging the course so that the. change-of. range, is much greater than during the recent class firing praotices. ■ • Night-Firing, i Praotically every'round from the Q.P. gun» will be 1 fired at night.' .The .precautions for night-firing are clearly laid- down in "Instructions ■ for . Practice," . and a local schemq for carrying out night-firing can;'be easily''arranged whereby," states the circular, it is as safe-to fire-by.'night as by day.:. The, number of picket boats will depend on the course of' the target. 1 In: some ■ cases-one picket boat arid a look-out on the shore with lamp signalling equipment, will bo sufficient—in others two or more picket boats may be .required. All boats sQould be supplied with rockets. In Auckland, night-firing will .bo carried' out about midnight, when there js;less traffic than by-day or •in the earlier.; part 'of the night.. The'searchlights "will Tie'run from' dark till dawn throughout the manoeuvres-; the officers acting as director? of electric, lights will barAuckland, Lieut. Smythe, R.N.Z.A. j ton, Capt. :Bymon,-<-BiN.S r i.A.; L'yttelton and Duhedin,. officer to be appointed. . Officers tho active unattached list, who are desirous of. keeping themselves in touch, with garrison artillery' work, should be encouraged to attend the camp, but they must be duties to perform and kept fully employed. The following are a few of the duties they could perform:—-. . .. Range officers; officer-in-charge* exaniinatiott service; officer-in-charge, picket-boat; officer-m----charge, landing. 'or defending 11 fan try force; staff officer, to keep staff diary and reports; reconnaissance duty, etc; • Work for the Signallers. ' During tho annual training camps, continues the circular,-signallers get plentv. of individual training; but no opportunity of being employed tactically.- .The Easter camp should provide ample opportunities of carrying ,otit tactical signalling schemes by night and by day, and. every endeavour should be made to show the importance .of good signalling by employing signallers very, extensively,' and the rehearsing of several schemes, .one of which should bo too maintaining of communication by day and by night between the coast defence commander, and tho field force. „ < As the manoeuvres this.year are more ot an instructional nature than last year, and a condition of war will not exist, during the whole of the four days, it will not be. necessary to maintain an examination .service steamer throughout, but it will 1 be advisable to rehearse this important duty, once by mgb' ° n „ c ® bv dav in order that any defects in. the system may he. discovered and remedied; arrangements to bo made with the local harbour aua small force of infantry is arched for duty, it should -be worked hard and kept fully employed. Patrolling tho coast line; outpost; defence against landing up defensive positions; digging trenches, sig nailing; field drinßat s arrang don tho beach in safe positions. h ™ m V R " d nS - t can ties etc. If time is available a fceld-Ming & v special care being taken to ensure safety Tenders are invited by Captain C. Harrow" Turner,'' assistant-quartcrmastcr-gcn-cral, for EaSter siipplies-groconcs, - meat, i tr .'i straw and toddcr, firewood, fie.d transport (horses' and Vehicfes), canteen, antf cofleo cant-een. .