MILITARY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1222, 2 September 1911, Page 9

MILITARY NOTES.

(Edited Br Echelon.] TRAINING CUT DOWN THIS YEAR. AUSTRALIAN MUSKETRY: A DISCOURAGING NOTE. A syllabus of training for all Territorial recruits lias been approved and issued. This training programme has Ix'eii divided into two periods of 12 and 13} hours respectively, and officers commanding units will, as far as possible, carry out (lie training in Hie sequence laid. down. When arranging whole and half-day parades officers commanding units aro requested to bear in mind that only half of the training as laid down in the regulations will have to be carried out i'er this year ending May 111, 1912. When, equipment lias been 'ssued paraded an<l drills will invariably he in full marching order, to accustom the men to wearing their accoutrements, and at least 10 minutes of every drill and parade must be devoted to marching and march discipline. All Territorials at present serving it not considered efficient should be put through the syllabus with Clio Territorial recruits who are now being posted. This syllabus is issued only as a guide, and may bo varied in detail, but only clonic!] tary traiuiiig for the period must lx» attempted.

Senior widot officers now serving may, pending the delivery of the supply of uniforms from the contractors, wear out their present uniforms. Tlio dress regulations for cadets will provide that officers who. have qualified under the. examinations of Territorial officers, and are given commissions on the unattached list for. service as cadet officers, will wear tho khaki field service uniform, laid down for the dismounted branch of the Territorial force. Officers not qualified as above will be supplied on' appointment with ouo kiiaki eergo jacket, pattern as worn by W.O.'s Territorial force; one pair of trousers and one forage cap (as worn by Territorial force); one khaki jacket blouso I pattern as issued to senior cadets); olio !i;.v, Icop up or 11.1'. pattern.

As olber.s sm us:—After referring to the fact, that the "unwilling patriots" iu New Zealand get rather a "thin" time, tho men or broader mind treating them an more or less deficient in intellect, or na arrant cowards, the "United Service Gazette" (apropos of the New Zealand defence scheme) proceeds: "At the very outset wo find the administration working oil comnion-scnso lines, such as wo in England have neglected. Tho eases of men having pnrticul-?.r tonus of employment in different districts aro legislated for in order that their civil avocations sliall be broken into as little a= possible. For instance, in dairying districts tho training canins are held in the winter. Quick to Me"where our Territorial l>nqt was pinching, the New Zialr.nd authorities have made up their minds to profit, by our mistakes. Every consideration for tho interests, both of tho employer and tlie employee, is being displayed in tho arrangements made for tho training of their military force."

If evidence were needed to show that the new musketry course for rifle clubs is unpopular in Victoria, it is convincingly supplied in tho ollieial report, particulars of which are now available (Motes an Australian contemporary). In spite of (lie fact that for every "efficient" member returned a club receives a bonus of 55., only o. little more Ihnn half the men enrolled, 10,387 out of 19,4811, fired through the course. J'robably PS per csnt of Iho remaining 01100 have.done seomo targetwork during the year; but, because they, failed to fire through what Ihev regard as an irksome and unsatisfactory jet practice, these men—though, perhaps, good target shots—must ho branded as "mmefficient" and deprive their club of tho financial advantage. The report presents few good features. Only lG!iO men secured first-grade qualification, and only 207 clubs out of 31S furnished returns. Of tho missing ones, 55 clubs notified headquarters that they had not fired, and 2IS sent no word at all.

The determinating factor for success in war, observed General >T. D. P. Irench, recently, on the occasion of the annual prize-giving at the Knval Military Academv, is not so much tho numbers of guns and rifles as skilful training and scientific leading and direction. A recent writer had truly said: "The number of men required to undertake successfully any militarv enterprise stands in inverse ratio to the'skill and otliciency of their training." They had thus a double role to fulfil to train their men in peace and lo lead and direct them in war. To see active servico in the field was the goal of every young officer's ambition, and the realisation of that ambition would doubtless come_ to most of them in course of time. What lie wanted them chietiy to remember was this: every day they lived would affect the result'of that campaign in which flier so much desired to take part according to the degree of skill, energy, and perseverance which they brought: to bear oil (•his work of peace preparation for war. The changes which science had brought about in tho conduct of war should appeal particularly to the gunner and sapper. The relative value of artillery in the field had become greatly enhanced, whilo as for the sapper, arduous and glorious as his part in war had ever been, it was of tenfold greater importance now that tho latest scientilie inventions had developed tho role of the military engineer.

Thoro is resident in Belfast an old lady, Mrs. II aria Magce, who has had sonic (-.tirring experiences with t)io_ 57th Middlesex liegimont'—the famous "Diehards"—in v;v rious parts of the world, and notably in New Zealand during the Maori wars of half a century ago. She is the widow of tho late Private Charles Magce, who served 20 vears in the 57th, fought with it. in the Crimea, was badly wounded nt tho storming oi' the liedan, and died 21 years ago. A son-in-law alto served with tho 57th in Ihe Crimea, and distinguished himse'f liv saving the life of Colonel A\eir of the STth. A son also served in the . r >7th. In tho fierce lighting in New Zealand during tho Maori war, Mrs. Mageo accompauicd the oilli, and was often under lire helping the wounded, and she, was present' at' tho bloody action which marked the storming and capture of the celebrated Kai-taka-tuira Pa, where the RTtli covered itself with glory in carrying that stubbornly-defended stockade, and lost heavily in doing so. "I was looking after tho poor wounded fellows," said Mrs. Magee to a pressman, in speaking of action, "and everyone was calling upon his mother, his wile, or his children. Tliats what tho soldier always cries for when, he. is dving, and he always sends a message to'those he loves." Mrs. Magco baa the old ago pension and a grant from the Royal Patriotic l'twd.