DEFENCE SERVICES

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 230, 24 June 1932, Page 7

DEFENCE SERVICES

News of Rank and File ON PARADE AND OFF Topics of the Moment (By “Liaison.”) The Hon. J. G. Cobbe, Minister of Defence, has kindly contributed the following special message to “The Dominion” on the inauguration pf this column, which will be published every Friday. He says:—“At a time when the world is full of talk of disarmament and every nation is making a gesture of peace to its neighbours by building yet more deadly battleships and inventing yet more poisonous poison gas, it may seem incongruous to introduce a weekly column of matters of interest to the fighting services.” “Far from this being so, when one analyses the matter this would appear to be no better moment to introduce such a column. When patriotism has been goaded to its height by that inevitable combination of events that lead to war; there is if anything less need to keep the doings of the Services before the public than there is in piping times of peace gestures. “Rudyard Kipling has expressed this point only too succinctly on many occasions for any need to press the matter. Let It suflice to say that while there is an army, even though it be recruited from the most zealous band of - patriots the world over—as personified by voluntary enlistment —there is every reason why .we should all know just what they are doing. It is the same with the silent service. If they hide their doings too much under a bushel, there is apt to be prevalent an idea that they are silent because they have nothing to report. This weekly column, I understand, hopes to prove the fallacy :of such an insinuation.” An enthusiastic working party of Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve ratings has been busy during the past week decorating the drill hall, Thorndon Quay, for their dance, which will be held to-morrow night. Past gatherings have been successful, both from a financial and social point of view, and from the number of invitations issued for this dance -the committee expects a record attendance. The decorative scheme is carried out in blue and gold, the division’s colours. H.M.S. Wakakura will arrive this afternoon from the Marlborough Sounds. The officers and crew have been invited to attend the R.N.V.R. dance, to-morrow night. Wellington Regiment. No doubt those people living in the vicinity of the Garrison Hall have been keenly interested in the musical competition that has been in progress there lately. They will be glad to hear that this has now been completed, and resulted in a win for the newly-formed Pipe, Drum and Bugle Band of the Wellington Regiment. The carillon was placed in second place, and the traffic inspector third. It is not likely that more competitions of this nature will be staged. Parades during June have been taken up with the instruction of N.C.O.'s in preparation for the full parades which begin on July 4 at Petone and July 7 in Wellington. Instruction has included drill, rifle exercises, rifle and Lewis gun, and bayonet training. Four recruits have enlisted during the current week, making the strength up to 282. Some 200 more are required to bring the regiment up to strength, and old members of the unit are asked to help in this respect Coast and Medium Batteries. Recruiting for the coast and medium batteries is proceeding steadily, but there is considerable wastage due to unemployment and the fact that many single men have gone to unemployment camps in country districts. Owing to the nature of the work, in these batteries, the handling of guns and howitzers and shells that may weigh as much as 1001 b., the physical standard is set necessarily high. The height standard, for example, is sft. 9in. The 15th Coast Battery holds parades twice monthly, on the second and fourth Wednesdays. Those considering- joining this battery, whicli takes recruits from the eastern suburbs, may be interested to know that arrangements have been made to institute a riding class. The first instruction in this art takes place at Fort Dorset on Sunday. Similar facilities are also available in the Lower Hutt and Petone, in the 19th Medium Battery,- which already has a well-attended parade. The Engineers. The pontoons of the 2nd Field Company, N.Z. Engineers, are now stored at Balena Bay, where parades are held regularly on Saturday afternoons. These unwieldy looking craft have at tracted some attention from residents of Roseneath overlooking the bay. Training so far has been confined to rowing exercises and to raft construction. Despite the fact that the pontoons weigh half a ton and are not built for speed, a squad of four sappers recently rowed one across Evans Bay in nineteen minutes. Formed singly into a floating bridge, the pontoons will carry a load of two tons. On Saturday, July 2, the engineer cadet section attached to the field company will carry out training with this equipment. The company will commence evening parades again on Monday next, June 27. Secondary School Cadets. The Secondary School Cadet units of Wellington, organised into three cadet battalions of the Wellington Regiment, and officered by masters of Hie colleges concerned, have tlieir chief training periods in the first and third terms of the school year. During the centre or second term, owing to climatic conditions, only those schools possessed of dry surface grounds (St. Patrick’s College, Wellington, Wellesley College, and Petone Technical) can carry out foot drill. The specialists, however, continue their work throughout the year at most schools. The infantry, unable to drill regularly, turn their attention to musketry during the winter months. At present they are busily engaged in practising for, or actually firing, the chief .cadet competition of the Empire, “The Youth of the Empire Challenge Shields,” or, as better known, the Imperial Challenge Shields competition. Two shields are competed for—the senior and junior—for boys over and under 15 years of age respectively. Except that juniors fire all practices in the lying position, conditions of shooting are similar for both shields.