DEFENCE NOTES

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 196, 16 May 1936, Page 26

DEFENCE NOTES

News of Rank and File SIGNALS IN CAMP (By Liaison.) The Central Depot, N.Z. Signals, sent an infantry brigade signal section to the mixed brigade camp held at Waipukurau from April 24 to May 1. OUicers and n.c.o.’s proceeded to camp on April 21 for a three days’ course on the No. 1 W/T set, prior to the arrival of the main b °oii Xnzac Day a combined parade of all unite took part in the Waipukurau memorial service. Photographers were much in evidence and signals cherish the memory of the following conversation which took place between a Press photographer and a lirst-ycar recruit: . PP • Do you fellows have a special type of marching? You differed from all other units. First-year IL: No, the difference is ve march correctly. . Signals co-operated during! sclieiue work with the other units in camp, communication being entirely by wireless and dispatch rider, .as the scheme was one ot movement. . ~ , ~ Trails were made ot the locally designed pack equipment for the carriage ot wireless sets. The principle is excellent and, with modifications, will no doubt be brought into general use. The word “trials” is apt One pack animal bolted, fortunately without a M/1 set aboard, and tried to wend its way through a plantation of blue-gums with disastrous results to the equipment. The only other pack animal available suffered from obesity, with the result that the pack set was equally at home on its belly as on its back. The first day ot the scheme stalled at 3 a m., for the mounted rifles, as they had to make a detour round one flank. Ibe experience was one to be remembered, as the column set out in the dark, with only the rattle of harness and equipment and an occasional spark as the shoes ot a horse struck a stone, to indicate the next section. The mounted rifles worked over extremely hilly country, and great difficulty was experienced in keeping the pack'from slipping, and on severa! occasions during the advance the whole set had to be repacked. The necessity of being below the skyline and yet near, headquarters at every halt, resulted in the horses being kept at times in spots whe e even flies would have bad difficulty m obtaining a foothold. , Rain caused a short from the HMbattery, resulting in “Cocky (the packanimaD receiving 22S volts wheneve the operator attempted to key. lhe fault was found and rectified. Signals returned to camp hours after the others, owin„ to more trouble with the pack, we through but not vanquished.. Neveitbe less, had it not been for wireless communication there would have been no co-operation, as the misty weather made visual signalling impossible. New Plymouth Area.

Tariki, Kaponga, Okaiawa, and Stratford platoons have already competed for the annual guard mounting competition. All platoons reached a high standaid in their work. The remaining platoons of the regiment will be inspected for the competition toward the end ot the month. The following promotions have been approved by the Commanding Othcer:--Sergt. V. C. Betts (Kaponga) to be C.S.M.; Cpl. IL Gwyn (Kaponga) to be L.-Sergt.; Cpl. C. R. Downey (Okaiawa) to o b u Wednesday, May 6, Lieutenant Cairncross, of the Eltham troop ot the Legion of Frontiersmen, on behalf ot the Eltham troop, presented to the Lltham platoon of the regiment a handsome shield for competition within the platoon.. In making the presentation Lieut. Cairncross stressed the fact that the Legion of Frontiersmen wished to assist tne •Taranaki regiment and that the shield was donated in the hope that interest in training would be stimulated, lhe shield will be competed for annually. Reserves or No Reserves.

At Helles, though there was a general reserve, it was landed early, and thus became a mere local reserve, says Lt.Col. Burnie in “The Fighting Forces. At Suvla the reserves were wasted; they appear to have spent most of their time in sea-batbing. At Ctesiphon Townshend did not keep a general reserve,, but Column “0” acted in effect as a reserve to Column “A.” ‘lf the latter had been made stronger at the outset, at the expense of Column “C,” which was absurdly strong for its role, the want of a general reserve would not have been telt. At Spicheren the Germans retained no reserve; every man jack was quite Tightlv thrown into the fight as he arrived. The Japanese never retained a large reserve in any of their battles, and were never niggardly in sending into the fig*'! such reserves as they had. Our false teaching in this matter derives laigely from ■Wellington’s well-known dictum, “The great secret of battle is to have a reserve.” What the Duke probably said was. “The great secret of defensive battle is to have a reserve.” In the above examples we see that, where the attacker retained a reserve, he failed, and where he dispensed with one he won.