DEFENCE NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 484, 17 April 1909, Page 13

DEFENCE NOTES.

(Br EoiiEioN.) INFANTRY TRAININC. ~ "How to make tho Training of an Infantry Company more interesting and effective in tho Time at present at its Disposal during Evening and Daylight Parades."—By Captain G. S. ' Richardson, Chief Instructor of Artillery.. ; - ■ :.-._"■:. .;.■• . TllO "N.C.0." , . With regard ..to .the training of . the "N.C.0." (non-commissioned officer), Captain Richardson says:— ■'■: ; . . ~ ; "■ In; tho training of "N.C.O.s" it is essential that winter classes should bo , held as at present, but that the syllabus of instruction should bo on similar lines, modified to that laid down for officers.. It would bo necessary for all "N.C.O.'s" to go through this course tho first year, and thereafter, only mioh ' N.C.O.b" who are candidates for promotion;' but if a regulation wero mado that every "N.C.O" in-.the infantry would be examined annually after, these winter classes, and;+hat as a result of such examination he would be' awarded a proficiency, certificate and Government gratuity, a large percentage, if not all, ■of the "N.C.O. V would willingly, I consider, undergo a rofreshor course, which would r.ot necessitate more, time being given than at present—i.e., one drill night per week,':'one evening for special lecture during tie winter,' and an..occasional walk into, the country on Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning for sketching or tactical exercises. '; ~.-.-... .; Prizes for Efficiency.. , '~'.'.',.-■ • At present a number of prizes and a large' amount of money are annually contributed by citizens to .encourage volunteering. This money is now expended in prizes for shooting, and ; generally but a very small proportion derive any benefit from this form -of en-: couragement. I would suggest that a" portion, of the money now used for this purpose- be divided into prizes for all-round efficiency. In this connection I would' suggest that a v special prize be offered for the best-tactical work by "N.C.O.s", in each company. Tne competition for the taotical prize should be' considered the; most important. individual event of the year, and the winner should bo honoured equally with the man who wins tho champion belt for rifle shooting. Tho tactical, competition for - "N.C.O:s" should bo carried out. during tho summer months, 100 marks being awarded as follow: '/ \ ft i L-l . ■•■'■■ " : ■ Marks.' (a) Outpost scheme ■..; ... ... .25 • ■•.■■ (b)-Reconnaissanco scheme ..;: ;,. 25 ; (c) Military sketching ... ... 25: (d) Judging distances .... .-..' i .i.'.25 '' '-':■ --V--; f ■-.'Total: ;;' : . ,;.. ■ "-_...■■ \.~w> : .NOTE.—To this;raay be added semaphore .signalling, musketry, or other 'subitcts .is desired. ■:- ; .'•■•• •■■ .' ■-..-■■ ~'■■■ '. ,Tho'mothod of conducting the examination should-be as follows:— ; ,- :. : ■:. (a) At the'cbnclusionof an ordinary weekly; drill, the officer commanding the' company ■will:issue a problem with special idea stating' clearly the supposed, ppsition of thoi enemy. ;and ; the tactical - situation.'-The' scheme-to bo'-worked out bo tho detailing .of the duties.' and the selection ;of the positions for an outpost company for ; a »r g^n: , P9 sitioll : in "tho . district. ■ ITie: "N.C.0." .will be expected to hand, in his scheme,.with rough sketch showing position : of jJicketj number of posts, arrangement of patrols, etc., tho following week,' when, with the assistance of the district: staff, the papers will be checked and marks' awarded.' This enables the ."N.C.0.",-to visit .tho ground, during the week and work out his'solution. ",' ■:.' '. . ' "■•:: ...i.. .■■■-(b);-Afier-an ".interTalof' about" a nioiith the reconnaissance scheme should be issued similar to (a) except that it will consist of ■reporting ful]y : oh the,' suitability for defence or otherwise of a given locality in tho ; district. ...■■;■ ; '■ ■>}'\: ) ;.-■■>.: ■...- ■'-. .. ,- .:,,..-■:■■■■ . (c), The"military sketching' scheme should be carried, out;under strict supervision on ??i?A,°l-l t ' 1 ? parades, when 'every '■N.G.O..^;^-'MgiTOn; l a;task.to-sketch a portion of'country within, a given time. _ This'.'can; be carried out any. evening dur-ing-the^summer months,';i^nd'on ordinary: drill ;nights.-,,As will be'seen, by thef ; abbve, n o_ Additional .time. is. demanded from an N.C.O. ] in order; to 'qualify in this important examination or tactical competition,' as (a), arid (b) can be combined with pleasure, the, ground selected for the scheme/beim* visited, when out for; his ; Sunday . walk,, and this on only two occasions per year; (6) and (d) being carried out on ordinary daylight parades, ai held at present.; Tho result of this competition will be to eliminate the unfit and make good ."N.C.O.'s" study and take a keener interest in field-work;'.in-"act,,;.this ,_ competition,', alone ' would make their training more interesting arid effective, and impress upon them how much mpro important it is to be efficient in these, subjects than,, to devote all one's spare time to'shooting on a rifle'.range; at a black-and-white bull's-eye target.at known ranges.., ,',; •/ Ssdtlon Commanders. With ; regard • tci "N.C.O.'s" being mado efficient ...Mn , .:., drills, ~ more..-responsibility should; be thrown on' section' comriianders, who! should- be ;given, more, facilities to drill and .train then; own sections. : Half-company commanders should hold section commanders responsible r 'forV their -sections; being trained in musketry, 'rifle , . , exorcises, discipline, signalling, : outpost, etc. In-, order to give ,"N.C.p.'s";a'n interest in training their recr tions, sectional; prizes should be awarded and competed for; annually, when each section' should be . examinea arid, awarclsd pointSr'for—.;.,..... , : ,' ,:-.. '"■ '■■-, ' I ■',•■■•'- ■ ■'■' ■-' -''"' ■ : ~ '■ .'.Marks.-. Attendance.; ... ..... ... ...,30 .Musketry (rifle shooting- on range)',' 60 Route:marching ■;■■, ~, ... ... .20 Field firing ....;... ... .... 100 Signalling - ■.'..;" : '-.'■..;'' '■■■~.'■ ,„ ZQ ■ ; Dnii -; ... ._....,„ ..,....:.•..;.,■■ ~.';20: ■' ; : '^Total 1 , . ... : ... .■■'..', ; ;.: 260 : r OFFIOERS , TRAINING CORPS.": The writer; was mbrethan pleased to note the enthusiasm" with which the establishment of officers' training corps was taken up by the representative meeting of university men at Victoria: College the other day. As an instance'of what is being done in this connection at Homo, the following extract froriv a recent number of the "Military Mail" will no doubt:be found interesting:— . : ■■-.'■ 4 : .'■-. - "This portion (i.e., the officers' training corps) of Mr. Haldane's scheme is progressing rapidly towards completion, and bids fair to bo the most successful of all, in so far as a training-ground for future officers' of our regular and auxiliary forces is concerned. Enthusiasm is kent.at fever heat throughout the corps, especially in the 'senior or university division.- At Cambridge the cadets are hard at work carrying but the programme oftraining framed by tho Military Committee in conjunction with the General Staff at the War Offico; the artillery unit especially so, as they have recently become temporary'pwners Of four of the latest 18-pr. field guns, similar in every respect to that- used by the regular artillery. .Tho members of the. Cambridge battery aro mostly rowing men, and under the able instruction of an artillery sergeant-in-strnctor' aro making good progress in overcoming the difficulties of gun drill. Tho bat--tery is going in for a ton days' course of training under the supervision of Royal Artillery officers; T.nd will probably' indulgo;. in practice with live s'hell during their stay. At Oxford tho same energy prevails in tho various units of the contingent, and the authorities are doing their, utmost to reach the standard of efficiency and numbers that has been attained by their rivals at Cambridge; Other universities throughout the country, including Belfast, are also making good progress,' andi London University, although re-: 'eentljj taken on tho_ list of the senior division, is already providing threo companies of infantry, and nopo soon to raise engineer and • medic.il units also.; Turning to the junior or public school'division, we find tho same pro-, gress.going on. . All aro doing their.best-to make the scheme a success, and are busy at drill, lectures and ether training. The.-forth-cominft' examinktions are l;r»ping c«ndid«tM hard at wprk roiiding up the various official manuals and.drill books, arid every opportunity is taken during outdoor drills to become proficient in the practical portion of training. The musketry course-is also claiming more attention than hitherto; the course' adopted by the Territorial, Force has been modified to suit the conditions of school traininc, and io-

the; junior division, -Vininiaturo ranges'.J'are largely in uso,owing to the difficulties of accommodation at the longer.range, and also the lack of such-ranges in many, instances. It is stated ort good authority that some of. tho bigger schools,- such as Harfowi; have cided to adopt Mr; Solano's battle targotsin addition.,, to carrying put tho authorised musketry training. The'recent staff tours held for the benofit of officers, of tho officers' training. corp3 have also proved, sue-' cessful in moro ways than one.. Thpso who attended havo returned to their.contingents full of zeal and oriergy and with their minds improved by the useful lessons: taught to. them .by,., expert: staff-officers.-./-.To , many , of those who took part in these tours, tho.train- , ing was both novel' and instructive,'especi--ally with,regard to those officers who were fortunate in- haying the teaching of General Haking and, the criticisms.of Sir lan Hamilton. •'- .. ,?-■;'■., ■■'.■■ ..:■■ '•-''?•'; ' .i. '■