DEFENCE NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 473, 3 April 1909, Page 11

DEFENCE NOTES.

(Br Echelon.} INFANTRY TRAININC. "How to mako tho Training of an In- ' fantry Company more interesting and effective in tho Titno at present at its i Disposal during Evening and Daylight Parades."—By Captain G. S. Richardson, Chief Instructor of Artillery. In this week's "iiolcb" Captain Richardson's observations on tho training of tho young officer on joining aro continued:— Musketry. "Musketry training as now carried out in many companies is most unreal; thero is little life in it, tho instruction is not mad« interesting, and the majority of officers fail to realiso the importance of it. An officer who takes a keen interest in tho musketry training of his men will soon find' what is most important to bear in mind—viz., that' littlo or no progress can bo made in practical musketry training, as long as ho confines his efforts to tho drill #.ill or tho carrying-out of individual elementary practice at a fixed bull's-eye target at known ranges. "What is required is to impress upon officers the importance of this subject, dispel tho false ideas that, as long as a man can perform tho rifle exercises satisfactorily, and hit a black-and-whito target at known ranges, lie is qualified in musketry. In tho training of tho officer ho should bo thoroughly taught the elements of the subject, then pass on to the mora important principles of firo direction, fire disciplino, etc.; show him the importance of rapid concentration or distribution of fire, and tho necessity for systematic cxercises in fire direction, to enable his men to rapidly and accurately engage different obI jeetives.

"I would suggest that each officer bo given a printed lecture on practical musketry, as a standard and guide for him when instructing his own men. Copies of the annual musketry reports and criticisms published in England should be issued to officers for their information, in addition 'to our own annual report 011 musketry training. Every officer should bo personally put through annually the following five stages of musketry training: (1) Itiilo exorcises, aiming, rapid loading, firing from behind cover, etc. (2) Care of arms, and theoretical principles of rillo fire. (0) Miniature ( rifle range' practice. (4) Elementary rifle rango practice 011 the range, and judging distance. (5) Field-firing schemes. "With regard to (1) and (2}, these may bo carried out in tho time laid down in tho suggested syllabus, assuming, of course, that the ofßccr has had previous experience as a volunteer or cadet; but I would strongly urge tho importance of fitting up in our drill-halls a moro up-to-dato miniature-rifle range. It is a disgrace to our system that, while in the cities and towns public minia-ture-riflo ranges aro fitted up with moving targets and other devices of a most ingenious nature which make riflo shooting a pleasant fascination, in our drill-halls wo havo nothing better than a fixed black-and-whito target with bull's-eye to train our soldiers with. (4)' and (5) could be carried out on Saturday afternoons. _ Tho method of conducting (5) is of vital importance, as thero is far too littlo field firing carried out at present, although facilities exist within a very short radius of every town in New Zealand for safely conducting fieldfiring schemes, which, to bo of any real' value, must bo varied so as to introduce service tactical conditions. It 5s in thoi hills and valleys where our men will havo to fight, and not 011 a rifle range, which, like tho drill-hall, should bo considered tho means to an end, and not tho end itself. liii fact, tho riflo range should only bo consid-i ered a convenient arrangement for enabling' officers to satisfy themsolves that their men can shoot with accuracy at known ranges. In tho field artillery, arrangements are mada with farmers to clear their stock from certain paddocks to enable field firing to taka placo, and similar arrangements could, no . doubt, be made for our infantry to enable them to carry out field firing,'any, Saturday; afternoon. If company officers wore previously taken out and shown how to carry out field-firing schemes, they would bo anxious to do the same with their commands, and thereby elevate musketry training from, the low level at which it stands to-day to" its truo position and importance. Tactics. "Most of the indoor tactical instruction should *bo carried out by moans of impnv vised tactical models, as by this means tli4_ officers are shown how to impart, in a practical manner, similar instruction to their' men, who always take in moro by tho e.vt than by tho car; and I venturo to say that 0110 evening devoted to tactical instruction by this means will do far moro than several lectures with merely blackboard illustra- ■ tions. By this system of instruction any piece of country in the district can bo roughly reproduced in model; not only can the elements of tactics bo taught, but mapreading become a most interesting and instructive study, as portions of tho district map can bo illustrated in relief, and tho eyo trained £0 form _ a very accurate idea of what country is really like by reference to a topographical map. Of course, 110 training is so good as that carried out on tho field; but tho model system of teaching tactics, considered only as a means to an end, will be found moro interesting and instructive than tho map method. "After explaining ttlie principles of protection, a tactical scheme could bo worked* out on tho model, by representing on a table in tho lecture-room, say, t'ho country between Wellington and Poriroa, and illustrating how tho advanced and flank guards would work over difforcnt natures of country in covering the advance of a force, or how a rear-guard would act if retreating. "An. outpost schemo may also bo worked out for an outpost company, 011 a pieco of country modelled to represent some important position in tho district. After the instructor himself illustrated an outpost schemo on the model, he should remodel it to represent a different area in the district, and make onih officer work out a schemo individually.

"Attack and defcnce should bo taught by the samo means, but caro taken not to make the schomo too ambitious; in all eases the number of troops that officers are likely, to have to handlo in war being kopt in. view.

"The importanoo of accurate reconnaissance is great, and is frequently overlooked by the rank and file ,wlio do not realise that without reconnaissance an officer in command of troops is like a man searching for an object in the dark. Every officer should bo supplied with a standard lecture on this subject, which, he could modify to suit requirements, and give to his men from timo to time. After hearing a lecture on this subject and being shown tlio principles of reconnaissance by the tactical model, officers could be given a reconnaissance schcmo. to work out practically at leisure."