SPEED-UP IN ARMY TRAINING

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 174, 20 April 1942, Page 6

SPEED-UP IN ARMY TRAINING

Demonstration Given EXERCISES BY “MONTHOLD” RECRUITS

A revolutionary method of training recruits has been introduced in New Zealand. It was demolish a ted at the Army School of Instruction on Saturday by a platoon of men who a mouth ago were civilians. The new method is an answer to the urgent necessity to speed up war training and turn out recruits, able to take their place in a field unit, in the minimum possible time.

The syllabus being worked on is based on the training of platoons of recruits for one month. It is designed to cut out all non-essentials, and to turn out fit men proficient in platoon weapons, fieldcraft, ami section leading. and with a working knowledge of other infantry weapons and platoon tactics?.

An Army School memorandum issued on this new method makes these points: "In the past we have been inclined to lean on drill as a means of inculcating discipline and morale and to devote too much time to the theory of weapon training—all with the resultant monotony and repetition. Discipline and morale come from respect for one’s skill, knowledge and endurance. learned in tlie Bold rather than on the parade ground. Much of the drill can be taught and applied in marching to and from working ground. Discipline can be obtained at all times whether on parade ground, in the field or on a fatigue. Speed and the inculcation of an offensive spirit are of prime importance and all recruits must be kept working hard at all times. . Afterward the men said they had found it tough going for rhe first fortnight. After that they felt they could manage anything. There were 33 in the special training platoon which demonstrated to au attendence which included the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones, the Minister of Supply, Mr. Sullivan, MajorGeneral E. Puttick, D. 5.0., N.Z.S.C., Chief of Hie General Staff. Colonel J. Henry, N.Z.S.C., Commandant, Army School of Instruction, Lieut.-Colonel F. L. Hunt, N.Z.S.C., G.SO. 1 Training, Army Headquarters, officers taking tactical courses, journalists, cinematographers, photographers, and a broadcasting representative. Personnel of Platoon.

Of the 33, 12 had had no previous military experience. Thirteu had ■been in school cadets, nine of these being 18-year-olds. Four had had territorial experience, and one Home Guard training, and three, other army experience. Nineteen of them had been clerks in civil life, two accoununts. Other occupations represented were bushman, barman, storeman, teller, purser, assistant manager, warehouseman, salesman, advertising executive, engineering cadet, schoolmaster, shop assistant. Tims only of the 33—the bushman—had previously followed other than a sedentary occupation. Comparing their weight on arrival at Army School with that taken a few days before Saturday, 18 had put on weight (two of these 91b. each and six others 51b.), the weight of four remained Hie same, and 11 lost weight, none more than 31b. except one, who went down from list, i lb. to 13s t. 61b. The platoon ami section leaders tor the demonstration were chosen from the 33 "month-old” recruits. To illustrate the importance attached to fieldcraft, tactics and night operations under Hie new method, 51 periods of 50 minutes each in the months course are devoted to this training. The importance of toughening the men is shown by the 10 periods given to route marches, and 11 periods to physical and recreational training. Bayonet instruction occupies .10 periods, rifle instruction 17 and light machinegun 16. Gas, grenade, anti-tank rille, mortar and field works training arc included. Lectures are given on Japanese tactics aud other tactical subjects. In, a total of 150 periods, drill occupies six. Destruction of Tank. The first exercise demonstrated was tlie trapping and destruction of au enemy tank by using anti-tank bombs. A row of dummy mines was placed across the route of a tank, represented by a Bren carrier. These having to be moved before Hie tank could proceed, t. section took cover near where it would halt, aud when it did so threw the grenades to Hie rear of Hie carrjet, lhe crew taking cover in the carrier. This was a realistic demonstration ot the comparative ease of tank disablement by bombs once the tank is a elose stationary target. Tank destruction by petrol bomb was next demonstrated. An old ear filled the tank role. The lank was easily set ablaze. The third exercise was spectaculni. This demonstrated tlie crashing of a triple concertina barbed wire obstacle. Holding their rilles at tlie port position, two men threw themselves on Hie wire, bringing it down, while their section males passed through Tlie big Stunt oi' the day was the platoon in attack using ball ammunition. It was assumed that a platoon of enemy troops with some light mortars and light macliiue-guns was occunviii"' a spur position. Die demonstrating platoon supported by a detachment oAlin. mortars mid one section, ui.m.g.. was ordered to attack and destroy the enemy. 'Die Bin. morlars blinded tlie eiiemv position with smoke to allow the pmtoon to move forward Io position' where they could use their own weapons. mortars, sub-machine mid .iglH machineguns and rilles. Hie attack finished with Hank sections making Hie assault with bayonets, grenades and siib-maeliinegiins. (•’or demonstration enemy eltects. li-ht machineguns were fired into the hill in which the enemy position was situate, and cup dischargers fired o(>. • Toii'idcs Enemy mortar lire was represented by chargers tired electrically l,y engineers. This produced a realistic battle effect. M). Jone- expressed his with Hie demonstration. He said he 101 l the new training method would be popular witli tlie men. Mr Sullivan said it had been ueeessarv to develop training in essentials rupidlv 'in view of the war situation. Ik'canse of the strategic key posHioti New Zealand now occupied, there was io telling' when Hie men would have io use in actual warfare Hie training lie had seen demonstrated.