REALISTIC EXERCISE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 216, 9 June 1944, Page 6

REALISTIC EXERCISE

Mr. Fraser Watches N.Z. I “Battle Inoculation”

(Official News Service). CAIRO, June 7. The Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, today watched New Zealanders going through a strenuous “battle inoculation” course on the sun-baked desert hills near Maadi camp. He saw them rushing supposed German degences under live machinegun fire and past explosions simulating shellfire. Then a realistic attack was staged for him on a full-scale village which the N.Z.E.F. has had built on a hilltop for training in street fighting and assaulting. The town was converted in German fashion to heavily defended strongpoints. Here again realism was sought and achieved by the use of detonators, smoke-bombs and harmless, though noisy booby-traps. Some of the instructors were newly back from Italy, where they had taken part in tjie Cassino fighting, and Mr. Fraser was greatly impressed by the thorough introduction to battle conditions which the new troops were receiving. The Primo Minister also took tho sal-, ute at a smart ceremonial parade of men under training and inspected their training facilities and watched other demonstrations. Ho visited the Maadi tent and the Kiwi Club at Helwan, and thanked voluntary helpers for their generous interest in the New Zealanders since the early months of the war. Then he inspected the New Zealand general hospital.'