N.Z. SCOTTISH

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 140, 16 June 1939, Page 10

N.Z. SCOTTISH

LOCAL COMPANY

INSPECTION BY GENERAL

Although the members of the Wellington company of the New Zealand Scottish Regiment have only spent five or six days in Trentham Camp, they have made excellent progress with their drill and they made a good showing when they were inspected by Major-General J. E. Duigan. C.8., D.5.0., Chief of the General Staff, this morning. The company, which is under the command of Captain A. H. Maciver, is training under the modern formation of three platoons, composed of three sections that march in threes, and is also learning rifle drill that is an improvement on that taught twenty years ago. As kilts are not yet available for the members of the company they have been issued with khaki uniforms and will have to parade in these until their Highland dress is available. During the inspection this morning the only kilt on the parade ground was worn by Major A. B. Ross, officer commanding the Scottish Battalion. The other officers attached to the company, Captain C. McAllum and Lieutenant I. E. Duff, are also in camp, and Captain Maciver and Captain McAllum are taking a refresher course with a number of details from various units in camp. GOOD TYPE OF MEN. The men in the Scottish company are of fairly uniform height and build, and consequently show to advantage when marching together. They were drilling in squads when the General arrived at the camp, but were paraded as a company for inspection. After the inspection they were addressed by the General, and then marched as a company around the drill ground. General Duigan said that he was greatly impressed by the progress the men had made at their training. It was extraordinary that the men should have got so far ahead in a few days, and both the men and their instructors were to be congratulated on the way they were progressing. "Don't get slack," he said. "Keep it up, for you have got to set the pace fo_ the companies in the other centres. You are in the unit for three years, and I hope you will remain in it during that time. Members of the general public are taking a lot of interest in you, and I know you will not let the army down in any way." "EXTRAORDINARY PROGRESS." General Duigan concluded his remarks by again referring to the extraordinary progress the men had made, and asked the senior instructor to tell the instructors that he was very pleased with their work. Interesting features of the training being done by the men is the change in rifle drill, which is more simplified than that known to members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and the marching in column of threes. Forming fours has been abolished and the men fall in in three lines, with the section commanders as the three on the right of the platoon. When the company is marching the section commanders are at the head of their sections, and when the sections divide for action the men in each section simply follow the leader in single file. Judging from the display given at Trentham this morning, the company should give an excellent impression when it is fully equipped.