BATTALION TACTICS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 946, 13 October 1910, Page 2

BATTALION TACTICS.

FIELD DAY AT TRENTHAM.

■•.._.;/ A .POOR .MUSTER. '. .-Z ' ■.- : ; ; -/ Easily accessible, and admirably adapt- '■-;:;, fid from the nature .of its topography, for ■', : tactical .exercises on,'a; small-scale," \ tham Defence; Reserve is. a. frequent re-/;v sort for.,the Wellington- Rifle Battalion? ;'■'■ on field days. .The spurs of'the low:hills f•■ afford good .strategic positions for attack,'i " . and-defence; :and there is plenty of '. excel- ■ -■ : lent coyer. ..Yesterday,, the battalion car--; ' ried out .'some veiy interesting-field :exer-:;' : ciscs at Trentham,': the: most> conspicuous ■',':':'■■ 'point' about the day?soperations.'being -\ • the. valuable practical work ■accomplished.: > : by the officers. • The one blbt'on'an. other- J wise, successful day was the-'miserable.:' muster of the rank and file, only. 131 ont" of something like 450 men available be--ing'on.parade. This'aspect : of the:day'sV -' work is.dealt with under a separate : >head-, ■ '■•'■ in S" '■'.. ■'■'>■■ : -■■■■:? -''>^,v^ Blue Attacks' Wellington. :>/;■;, : A state:.of "war" being> of course pre---/, sunied as a matter, of expediency, tne'gen-•" eral idea of. -'thV manoeuvre" *as based ' ; upon the descent, upon Wellington, via tbe"" I Upper VHutt, of 'a hostile force '("Blue")^ : of which the advance' line'of■ infantry, ■'' some 450,., had approached rthe-, narrow ■--: gorge which divides the Upper and Lower, f .Hutt Valleys. This advance, line was'" commandedby. Captain-'C.- : B. Barton, of ■'-'- the.Eqst. and Telegraph' :Riflcs.v, To Wock.. '■ the advance of', this'/ force, a , command-" i ing spur running' north-east by. east from :■• ■'' the railway line near' Heie&unga . Sta- ' ,tion,; and. affording (a .^defensive ; position >. ; ■of great' tactical value, -was occupied' by ' a detachment of the "Bed" troops .(the; defender's);--2<)o' strong, ■ supported—th!eo- ':■.-'?■ retically—by two. Maxims. Blue had no! guns, and;the position;.was:! iO held ■' byi: Red, so-'.- that- the- only-course'' ■: 'open 'to.. the' , former ;was ' ; to:endeavour • to': ; outflank Bed and attack hint in the treat,- '■■■'.■:' , , ; Blue ; Attempts/to : V\?;v AsVEed : ;h«ld.;.tfe^hole, : became necessary toattack him at thiee ■:.'■■■ points, his. flanks arkl '.centre, 1 and ..Cap.:''< ..tain... Harton 'made '~Wk r:"dis'pcisitsans : -..ac«V7 cordmgry. ~A 'strong detachment, rankli- ? was .later^';to .carry -the .buTden'of ! f the..:! main attack, was sent out by a circuitous ' I route to envelop Bed .on his left, , at the. .I I:lowest ; point-;of the-.spnr.l: : Aiiothei,-- ; less .'-':■ formidable in strength, v wjis; : idispatched.-:-to attack Bed:.on his right, while a light: i■ i 'frontal attack,sufficient -onljvtbiheokany;-, possible concentration-by Bed. at reiikei'.'■-■ of his flanks, was pushed! forward- to,tu»V : centre;;' The Bed-:commander J< ■■'/• J;| Esson) had simply to "sit-down 'corny'; fortably.in-his'ipositioE.Vtharass'vthe' , ad»| *S vanoe of Bbieiwith. his jure, :and at thttt.W first favourable : opportuiiity- .'■' delirer., a> s 'counter-stroke with .the-object '. of •%. his enemjr detail; \ ! The;, .wholeof the:-moining-,'>Kaa.|-i ; spent by: ißlue^in';! developing .his :attack,,-': ':. and Toy , ' abattis. ; '. v: - : .--K'. ,:^: '/ ■'.''J^-'''-''',?•'■?' ~-x ..,■;;,■■,;'. Getttng.:inio^ipsv'i; : ;; : :; ; ::■■.'■?'.•?' ■■■ it-2_p;m;i: after the luncheon adjoonsf -I ment,,Btae: advanced -to -the_.'attack':and!:' firing - : becimie-.geiKral^UiThe^eiri^Tirng?'-:., movement of;tho.-light'llank.^^was;soceess*' '.• fully executed, and lied's leservts- bei :■' .cameesposed'toattack.':'-,Here ■: counter: took place;- which, in. war, TOjnt4'l'.' have. been : ;;decided;.in; favour .of the sn« perior - ; ->"fpice \' in',,- ; numerical?? strength*] '.)■} Meanwhile,' Blues' left flank;3ttaek:wa3/ : ; successfully heH-by. : : the defenders,Vw3ulk his frontal attack, raled ont:: as an. offenJ '•■ srve-^moveinenii:..resolved. ; itself into ; aj." holding' 'attack,', withioui .advancing. ■, ; Bed,,': : -£ ' attacked, delivered lrfs.:Couiiter-sfa»ke, Wl'"f was cbinpelled:to-retire,np6ji Ms'eirtreirdH'.£■; ments.'which" ho!,successfully :■ defendeby.. > thereby retaining ito key of the positioiW ;? Tho operations were' interrupted -by ; the\ : signal lor entraixunent and Vas battalion :~ arrived'back in' town about.' 6 o'clock.. :■ The weather was not aTI that could haves ;' been desrred, and frequent drenshing raaw squalls made things rather ÜBComfortaUaj i, for the Territorials, ,but the game of -bssh ( - proceeded- _-with every aEpeannreet *a<? , cheerfulaes&HiiiS enthusiasm.

The Parade State. There Trero present at' the Lieutenant-Colonel W. G. Decamp OSQ Major C D. Mackintosh, Captaxn-onoV Adjutant J. A. Cora-ks (baitwon stafW and the following company units?—CM Rifles, Captain Essoo, 10-; GBards,' lica-J tenant Eoache, 7; Gtvil Service Erfles»' Captain Marshall, 10.; Post and Telegrap&l Rifles,' Captain Harton,'loy College BiflesU Lieutenant,Hutchcn, 27; BjghJand Eifles»l Lieutenant Henderson; Viotoiia'" Collegc] 0.T.C., Lientenant Atkinson, Boys' In-ri stitate, Capbtin GTeonish, 20; total, BiJ Tivo mon of the Zcalandia , Eifles and] ono from i9io Kelbuine Kfl.es ajso paradM ed,'and were absorbed-Ijy other com*,] panies. Captain Davjg, VJL, O.Gi_Eel*} burne JJifles, was also on paiadot ( /