DEFENCE MANOEUVRES

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 33, 8 February 1930, Page 11

DEFENCE MANOEUVRES

XAVAL RAID ON COAST

The surprise element is to'be the feature of tactical operations to be carried out next week by the First' Battalion, Auckland Regiment, in con junction with officers and ratings of the training ship H.M.S. Philomel, says the "New Zealand Herald." ' Unlike previous exercises; where the opposing sides have been made cognisant of the great part of each other's1 intentions and plans, all'the defenders will khow is that.a raid is to be made on one of the" beaches some time in the early hours of the morning, the landing force being ignorant of the plans of the defence beyond the bare fact that they may^ expect resistance shortly after they come ashore; . ;. . . v : The'general.scheme supposes that the enemy, Blue, Iras defeated the'^New Zealand Navy, which has retired on Wellington, and, that the defence of Auckland'rests on tho Northern Brigade group, comprising the infantry, mounted rifles, and artillery brigades, with engineers, signallers, Army Service Corps, and ambulances. Of these troops, the, first to .be mobilised is the First Battalion,' Auckland Begiment, which is encamped at Narrow Neck. At midnight on i2th-13th February,: advice is received that two enemy cruisers have left the Great Barrier, and the battalion is ordered to'hold itself in readiness tq proceed in motor-buses to any part of the coast between Whangaparaoa and Auckland* It-iwill be supposed, also, that the coast is being watched by motor-boat patrols arid by signal stations at Bed Bluff, Toroa Point, and Trig 371, on Whangaparaoa peninsula. • ■ The attackers from the Philomel will be reinforced by a platoon from the battalion. Arrangements' are boing made for the transport of the raiders to the- landing beach in private craft. _■