DEFENCE SERVICES

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 29, 28 October 1932, Page 5

DEFENCE SERVICES

News of Rank and File ON PARADE AND OFF Topics of the Moment

(By

“Liaison.”)

A course wi.ll be held shortly _ for adjutants and regimental sergeant-majors of Mounted Rifles Regiments. When the various problems arising out of the adoption of cavalry training, vol. I, in place of mounted rifles training will be discussed. The chief of these is the introduction of double rank in place of single rank drill, and the amendments necessary to enable Hotchkiss gun sections to be used. The organisation of the mounted rule regiment in New Zealand differs from that of the cavalry regiment in that it contains Hotchkiss guns which, are not now a portion of British cavalry regiments. The course will be carried out under the instruction of LieutenantColonel S. C. P. Nicholls, D. 5.0., N.Z.S.C., who served with the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade in Ihilestine during the war 1914-19. Field Artillery.

On Wednesday, October 12, the Hit and*Sth Battery Football, Hockey, Cricket and Boxing Clubs held a combined smoke concert at Palmerston North. The deputy-mayor, Mr. J. Hodgens, presided, and a most enjoyable evening was spent. Among the visitors present were Colonel J. H. Whyte and Mr. C. Louisson. Air. Louissou. in his reply to the toast of “Past Volunteer Units,” ably recalled the efforts of those past units both at drill and socially. The opinion formed’was that the gunner of to-day is a mild young man when compared with the gunner of the ’9o’s. The first of a series of week-end parades was held by the 7th Battery at Hokowhitu rifle range on October la and 16. The numbers who attended were most satisfactory, and full use was made of the area for manoeuvre. Wanganui Notes.

A well-attended meeting of the Vanganui Garrison Officers’ Club mot on 'Thursday evening, October 20, to discuss the proposal that a War Museum be established in Wanganui. His Worship the Mayor, Mr. N. G. Armstrong, and the chairman of the Trustees of the Alexander Museum, Mr. Hope Gibbons, also attended the meeting. Captain H. Keesing outlined his proposals and pointed out that in Wanganui and district there were a great number of relics and trophies brought back from the war. As time passed these relics were becoming of less value to their owners. Now was the appropriate time to gather in suitable relics and make a collection, as has been done in the larger centres. The question was to find a suitable building in,which to house these relics, and the mayor and Air. Hope Gibbons were present at the meeting with a view to enlisting the support, of the council and the museum authorities. Colonel F. K. Turnbull, D. 5.0., M.C., spoke in support of the movement and moved that the present committee of the Garrison Officers’ Club, with power to add to its numbers, be constituted a committee to go into the question of a War Museum for Wanganui. Air. Hope Gibbons considered that the idea was a splendid one and was deserving of every support. While the Alexander Museum had not the accommodation at present, it was probable that in the future a wing might be added to the museum for the purpose of housing a Maori collection, and he considered that a part of this wing might be available as a war relics section. At the present there were no funds and it was not possible to sav when the wing would be built. His Worship the Alayor supported the movement and offered to give j*' every encouragement. He considered that J f n portion of the new wing of Alexander Museum be eventually obtained, this would be the best plan.

Masterton News. „ “A” Company, ord Cadet Battalion, the Hawke’s Bay Regiment (the Wairarapa High School), held their annual house shooting match last Saturday. The school is divided into four houses, Raleigh, Scott, Nelson and Uttley. Teams of four arc picked from the hi o h est scorers in the annual musketry course to represent each house. The practices are five rounds application, five rounds snap shooting, and live rounds rapid, fired with .303 ammumtl0 Raleigh and Scott tied with a score of 203 iioints each. _ A shoot-oft to decide the winners will take place on Saturday. . „ Highest scorer for Raleigh was U.b.M. A. McWhinnie, 60 points. Highest scorer for Scott was Cadet I. J- Hills, oJ points.

New Plymouth Notes. Following the recent change in the organisation, several new training centres have been opened up to obtain recruits for the regiment, and very satisfactory results have been obtained. Inc present strength of recruits at these new centres is as follows: Waitara, 14, Inglewood, 16; Elthain, 18; Patea, 10. Training has commenced in each of the centres, and very satisfactory progress is being made. The unit signal section has been changed from New Plymouth to Inglewood, and the new section is busy preparing for the week’s course of instruction, which is to be held from. October 31 to November 4. As most members of the section are new to signal work, a recruits’ course of signalling has been arranged. During the week October 17 to 22, 1932, the Officer Commanding the Central Military Command, Colonel F. Symon, C.M.G., D. 5.0., R.N.Z.A., paid a visit of inspection to the various training centres in R.D. 8. The platoons and sections of the regiment turned out in good strength at the various inspections. Their work showed that all ranks were determined to uphold the good name of their regiment by appearing on parade well turned out, and by giving minute attention to the details of. their work.

Poimlar Naval Mascot Dead. One of the Royal Navy’s most popular pets, Bonzo, a bulldog, is dead. He was pensioned off from the battleship Valiant recently, and every effort was made to accommodate him in civil life; but like many a sailor before him of the same breed he could never settle down ashore. Finally he had to be admitted to the Dispensary for Sick Animals at Chatham, where it was decided that the only kind thing to do was to put him to sleep. Like other ship pets, he was given a service certificate in which his career was duly recorded, including various disciplinary lapses, such as leave-breaking, fighting, and disorderly conduct.

Promotions and Transfers. The following promotions and transfers were notified in the Gazette last evening:— The Wellington Regiment.—Lieutenant It. J Wells, Ist Battalion, to be captain. The Wellington West Coast Regiment.— 2nd Lieutenant W. G. Bassett, Ist Battalion, to be lieutenant. The Hawke’s Bay Regiment.—Lieutenant IS. It. Murphy, Regimental Supernumerary List, is transferred to the Reserve of Officers, Class 1 (b), R.D. 1. Lieutenant K. B. Schulze, from the Canterbury Regiment, to be' lieutenant, with seniority from September IS, 1929, and is transferred to Hie Reserve of Oflicers, Class I (bl, R.D. 7. The undermentioned to be 2nd lieutenant (on probation), and are posted to the Ist Cadet Battalion: —James Morton Reidy, Cecil Hyde Bleakley. Regiment of N.Z. Artillery.—Lieutenant K. Eraser ceases to be posted to the 3rd Field Battery and is posted to the ISth Medium Battery. N.Z. Army Service Corps.—Lieutenant 1. H. Lawn, Ist Composite Company, is transferred to the Reserve of Officers, Class I (b) R.D. 1. NZ. Medical Corps.—Lieutenant J- F. Zohi-ab, M. 8., 2nd Field Ambulance, resigns his commission. Reserve of Officers.—Captain C. W. Salmon D.C.M., is posted to the Retired List with the rank of major, and with permis-