BEING TESTED

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 126, 29 May 1915, Page 5

BEING TESTED

sth REINFORCEMENTS INFANTRY COME OUT WELL MARCH THROUGH THE NIGHT, i WITH AN ATTACK AT DAWN. Having completed four months of arduous training, the infantry of the sth Reinforcements are now being tested under conditions approaching active service as nearly as possible These necessarily impose a somewhat severe strain upon the men. but that, as the infantry of "the sths" have shown, matters little to them ; they are not of "the feather-bed' type of soldier, and being j every whit aB keen as their 1 " gallant comj rades now fighting in \\\e Dardanelles, welcome it with enthusiasm This was amply demonstrated at 4.30 yesterday afternoon, when along a slushy road and , amid a very heavy downpour of rain, 1 they marched into camp whistling and I singing snatches of gongs after coinplet- ' ing 3H hours' continuous operations in the field. A NIGHT IN BIVOUAC The test commenced at 9 o'clock on -Thursday morning, when the ionr infantry companies of the sth Reinforcements were marched out in full war equipment to engage in field work and route marching until 4.30 on the following afternoon They lunched at Maidstone Park, when the battalion was split into two forces, and_ each marched to its respective station to engage in actual night opera* tions. A and B Companies, constituting the attacking force, went up to Wallaceville, while C and D Companies proceed* ed to Mangaroa Hill, where they threw outa line 01 outposts along the road with their supports on the Hutt Valley side of the ridge. A and B Companies threw out protective outposts for themselves, and this done both forces se>tled down into bivouac, sleeping out in the open fields for the night. As it was bitterly cold these soldiers in being were unable to get much sleep, but they cheerfully made the best of it and created as little noise as possible ir order not to disclose their whereabouts. During the night A and B Companies sent out reconnoitring patrols to endeavour to gain information as to the enemy's outposts preparatory to making the attack. MARCH AND ATTACK IN POURING RAIN, Well before dawn, the attacking force moved out of its bivouac and executed .1 night march across the enemy's front, in order that it might be deployed and in position ready to assault the enemy^s line at dawn. The men, however, had not proceeded far in the darkness when a very heavy downpour of rain set jn and continued without, interruption during the greater part of the attack. But it had not the slightest effect in dampening the spirits of either the attacking or defending forces. The latter were keenly alert, and in spite of the greasy nature of the fields, the attackers pushed on. taking advantage of every possible form of cover und hardly making a Round. Lieut.-Col. Gibbon. Chief of the General Staff, arrived in time to supet intend the final attack, which was carried out in excellent style. BACK TO CAMP AND OUT AGAIN. After a ha Sty cup of tea, the troops were marched " back to Trentham for breakfast, and had no sooner despatched that than they were sent straight out uqjsiin to mora^o in nil-day Held work in the vicinity of Upper Hutt. This meant another march and more tramp ing over wot fields, which coming immediately OTi top of the previous t 24 hours' continuous operations, required some' grit to face In this the Infantry of "the Sths" were again far from lacking They swung out of camp once more with emilnig faces and no slackening of pace, and were soon lost to view. Of the four .companies, C and D had the hardest task set them', being required to march no less than 22 miles during the day, apart from their manoeuvres. When the troops were returning to camp, at 4.30 p.m., a heavy deluge set in, and soon mudo the road leading from the railway siding a veritable Bea ut mud 'Through this the Infantry of "the sths>," after their strenuous labours, marched quite cheerfully 5 some were singing snatches of songs, others were able to whistle, while others again made merry by cracking jokes at one or two passers-by. The khaki column, as it went by, wjfc something to see, and the spectator could well understand the cheerfulness of the men. They had -done something under the most adverse circumstances, for which even Mark Tapley would have been pleaeed to claim some credit. , COOK THEIR OWN FOOD. Taking their work as a whole on • Thursday and Friday, the infantry of the Sths certainly acquitted themselves creditably, and are entitled to special commendation fov the fine soldierly 1 spirit they displayed. From an endurance point of view, they came through the test well. They also learned much — how to bivotuc and cook for themselves in the field. They wore accompanied j by nine Army Service Corps wagons, and , during the time they were out had to ' cook lunch, tea (full meat ration), early morning tea, and lunch again. , The trial of Ihe infantry of the 'sth Reinforcements is still unfinished This morning as a further test they •were sent out on a fourteen-mile route march in the direction of Upper Hutt, and next week will pursue a course of training equally as hard. THE MOUNTED RIFLES. The mounteds of the sth _ Reinforce' ments have been engaged this week in completing their musketry course, and this .. morning were sent out upon an eight-mile route march in the direction of Wallaceville. Next week they will engage in squadron training. ' CAMP SPORTS MEETING. On Thursday of next week, the King's Birthday, the whole of the men at Trentham will be given a welcome relaxation by the holding of the camp sports on the Trentham Racecourse. A specially attractive programme has been drawn up, being an improvement on that arranged for the previous meeting Entirely new events set down for decision will include a 220 yards race (camp championship) and a mile walk (open) Another new feature is that a camp aggregate cup will be awarded for the unit obtaining the highest number of points in the events specified There will also be a bayonet-fighting exhibition. ~ It is expected that there will be a good attendance of the public.