OLD ORDER GOES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 126, 24 November 1941, Page 6

OLD ORDER GOES

TRAINING OF TROOPS

EVERYTHING TO ESSENTIALS

(Q.C.) SYDNEY, November 20. Reorganisation of Army methods of operation and training in Australia will be made following the receipt of a report prepared by Lieutenant-General Sir Iven Mackay, Home Defence Commander.

The Minister of * the Army (Mr. Forde) announced that the Royal Australian Air Force will start co-opera-tive training with the Army immediately. Mr. Forde also said that drastic alterations will be made in the method of drilling recruits. Some of the drill movements in the present Army manuals, he said, were evolved and published in 1795, and reprinted after the Battle of Waterloo.

The changes will be made in the New Year and will affect trainees for the A.I.F. and other Australian military forces. Time spent on the parade ground under the sergeant-major will be cut to about one-fifth of the previous period. The new system, said Mr. Forde, will mean greater efficiency and faster training for actual warfare. It will also improve the soldier's outlook on camp life by ending the dull monotony of repetition of drill movements. In future it will be battle drill.

"All movements on the parade ground," added Mr. Forde. "will teach rapid deployment and taking up battle formations. Even rlfl» exercises, the bane of the recruit's initiation to the Army, will be reduced to the bare minimum. Australians will be hardened to war with no regard to creating perfect parade ground 'spit and polish* automatons.

"Ceremonial drill and marching past the saluting base in close column have been abolished. The men now march past in column of route ready for immediate deployment. With the threat of hostile attacks from the air ever present, dispersion must be the order of the day. The smaller the target, the fewer will be the casualties."