TRAINING TACTICS FIRST BIG DAYLIGHT PARADE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue LXXXIV, 23 September 1912, Page 3

TRAINING TACTICS FIRST BIG DAYLIGHT PARADE

TEREITORIALS AT LYALL BAY. Tei-ritorial training for the season 1912-1913 .began on Saturday afternoon in tactical exercises at Lyall Bay by the local defence forces. The work began with the assembling of the forces at the Drill Hall, Buckle-street, preparatory to the march out. The Fifth Regiment mustered over 60 per cent, of its roll strength, j a number, of course, being unable to attend tho parade on account of the nature of their business. For these provision will be made in a parade on Wednesday afternoon. As it was, some 500 rank and file marched out to the martial music of the regimental band over Constable-street and out to the sand dunes of Lyall Bay, where a bleak northerly was making the grit and sand fly like miniature shot and shell. Out on the level behind the frings of sand dimes, where the ground has been cleared for building sites, the companies carried out a programme of elementary tactical exercises — marching and countermarching, company drill, outpost duty, skirmishing movements, and so forth, under Lieutenant-Colonel Turnei*, 0.C., and Majors Cowles. Esson, and Beere, and Captain Corrigan. Theresas a cheerful keenness about it all, which spoke well of the way the system has taKen on. ' Battalion drill was followed by visual training. Small detachments of men were posted^ at various distances and spots unknown to the main body, and at a given signal opened fire. " The idea was for the men by sound and sight to pick up these detachments and judge the distance. ' It may be added that the sand and tussock, blending so exactly with the khaki made , this particularly ! dimcult. Even the main body was hard j to pick up in certain positions. The soft sand ' gave the men plenty of physical as well as tactical exercise, and the " cook-house " call at dusk came very welcome. The service wagon had brought 'Out several boilers, and the hot tea proved very acceptable. After tea the men marched back to the drill shed and were dismissed, During the afternoon the Mountain Battery, the Wellington Field Engineers, and the Field Ambtijance Corps, were out at the other end of the bay. All put in a good afternoon's work — Bix hours—practising their respective duties. Out at Johnsonville, Captain F. T. Moore, Lieutenant Dunbar Sloane, Lieu* tenant Hector Aekin, and fifteen men of G Company carried out the same sequence „of general. Sergeant-Major Woodward, of the Permanent Staff, superintended the work done. The Garrison Artillery unit, under Lieutenant' General Courtney, paraded at Forts Dorset, Ballance, and Kelburne. On Saturday next all the units of the Coast JJefence Command will operate in unison in a tactical scheme intended to represent the repealing of an attack by

hostile cruisers with an attempt to land a raiding party at Lyall Bay. Men who cannot attend the Saturday parades by reasons of employment, are expected to present themselves at Wednesday parade's.