WHEELS OF WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 88, 15 April 1939, Page 10

WHEELS OF WAR

MECHANISED UNITS

DISPLAY AT TRENTHAM

BREN GUN CARRIERS

This afternoon the general public in | the Wellington district were given an opportunity of viewing modern war weapons on wheels, a field battery, six Bren gun carriers, motorised Vickers guns, Lewis guns on motor-cycles, and mobile anti-aircraft units being used in an action on the Trentham range, j A full-dress rehearsal of the display was held this morning when. showery weather provided active-service condi- i tions. . j The demonstration was under the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel L. G. Goss, G. 5.0.1., N.Z.S.C, and the troops were under the command of Major J. I. Brooke, commandant of the Trent- j ham Army School. The sth Field Battery was commanded by Captain C Lowe, who had with him Lieutenants S. Hardy, B. Hardy, and S. M. Almao. The 22nd Anti-Aircraft Battery was commanded by Lieutenant K. Frechtling. The machine-gun platoon was commanded by Lieutenant J. GreerWatson, and the N.Z. Corps of Signallers by Lieutenant E. J. Horwood. MACHINE-GUN WORK. Arrangements were made to accommodate the public midway down the range and the motor-cyclists, with their Lewis guns and four Vickers gun teams on two trucks, advanced from the rear and opened fire on targets placed on the hillside. The shooting was good, some of the groups of targets being completely wiped out. As soon as thej machine-guns had retired the Bren I gun carriers came into action at high speed and opened fire. After four magazines had been emptied by each gun the crews dismounted and fired j another four from the ground tripods, the carriers heading for a safe position at a pace that made them seem j exceedingly unsafe for their drivers. | While the Bren guns were doing good work against the "enemy" on the hillside a gas shell exploded near them and the gunners donned their gas masks to the tune of a gas alarm.

The sth Battery next took the field, and went right up the range to the butts where an enclosure was roped off for the general public. The two dispatch riders on motor-cycles inves-j tigated the hilly country behind the! butts and the battery set out to do some cross-country work. The six- j wheeled trucks attempted to climb a fairly steep hill but encountered difficulties and it was agreed that they would have to be equipped with tracks for the public demonstration this afternoon. BATTERY AND TANKS. The fifth stage of the demonstration was probably the most interesting of the series as the Bren carriers gave an excellent demonstration of travelling at speed across flat country and of climbing over difficult ground. After this stage had been completed the vehicles moved back to the middle of I the range and the field guns were J mounted on beach platforms. The Bren gun carriers, which were concealed in different areas, then moved out as tanks attacking a battery. The battery promptly opened fire on the tanks as they approached through a smoke-screen prepared by a party of engineers. This concluded the actual demonstration, but this afternoon the public will have an opportunity of examining the vehicles while the official party is at afternoon tea.

The anti-aircraft battery will not take any active part in the demonstration, but the general public will probably find it one of the most interesting of the mechanised units. The section of the battery at Trentham is composed of one 3-inch 20-cwt. gun mounted on a motor-truck, a prfedicter, a heightfinder, and combined sound-locator and searchlight.