MILITARY AT MATARAE

Evening Star, Issue 15478, 28 April 1914, Page 9

MILITARY AT MATARAE

ALL ARMS AT WORK. [Fbou Oob Own Reporter.) MATARaFcAMP, April 27. Matarae camp has completely escaped the drenching rain and mist that oast a grey mantle over Dunedin on Sunday. In the interim of devotional cxerdos the troops found time for much correspondence, the outgoing mail to-day numbering over 3,000 letters. This afternoon Colonel Robin, C.8., 0.M.G., Colonel Collins, P.S.C., D.5.0., and Colonel Johnston, R.A., all of the Headquarters Staff, arrived in comp. These officers will be the umpires in the big divisional attack on Wednesday morning. To-morrow Lieutenant M'Cuiloch, of the New Zealand Motor Reserve of Officers, will arrive. / Both canteens in camp have dope splendid business. By far the most coveted article on sale has been milk chocolate,, of which, so it is said, more than 4,000 packages have been sold. So far as can be gathered from inquiries in responsible quarters, and from' personal observation, the conduct of the men has been exemplary. The Rev. A. Gray, who has been chaplain in many camps, describes it as the best conducted he has attended. CASUALTIES AND THE SICK.

As stated yesterday. Trooper Hall, of the 7th Mounted Rifles, was admitted to hospital and subsequently sent to Dunedin suffering from a compound fracture of the leg. He was taking his hors© to the water, when the animal in front lashed out »»nd. splintered the bone. Color-sergeant Oliphant, of the Signalling Corps, was a®o kicked, but Ms injuries were not more serious than abrasions of the leg. Four other men were sent home to-day, Jot the reason that though their indisposition was not serious they would rot be able to resume duty before the camp breaks up. The total sick parade to-day was 140 from the infantry and 49 from the mounted lines, but of these 90 after examination were adjudged not unfit for duty. There are spills daily when the mounted brigade go out, the country being rather treacherous. It .looks better than the manceuvre area of the Sutton camp, but the rabbit burrows are deeper and lees exposed, and form a veritable trap in some parts. Today one trooper fell so heavily that the barrel of his rifle was broken. ADVICE TO EXCURSIONISTS.

The excursion train coming to Matarae station-on Wednesday will arrive about 11.35 a.m., and will be met by a sergoantwill conduct visitors over the Taieri River by the footbridge near Matarae, and accompany them to a spot from which the tactical exercise can be witnessed. If timis permits, arrangements will be made after the manoeuvres, for the troops to march paet in column of routes. The return train will leave Matarae siding for Dunedin shortly after 4 p.m., and intending visitors are warned to leave io good time, since if there is a big crowd there may be delay at the footbridge, upon which nob more than seven or eight persons will be allowed at th© same tixn©. TO-DAY’S EXERCISE.

The mounted brigade made a second, brigade attack to-day on the- same principle as Saturday’s 'operation, two regiments attacking and the third held in reserve ready for a flank attack to crown the success of the frontal assault. The different units brought their troops into the firing line in succession in good order and with despatch, and the exorcise was an excellently-conducted one. The idea under ■which the brigade operated was thSt an infantry attack had been checked. Both the mounted infantry sections of machine guns were out to-day practising fire direction and fir© control. They used combined sights, which are very effective in the conduct of operations. From a gully No--1 section commenced at I,oooyds, reducing gradually by, say, 25yds, the idea being that practised with such success by the Russians upon the Japanese of raking fore and aft a column ascending a hill. Afterwards the guns were brought into action. A very pretty and imposing spectacle was undertaken by the mounted section at the gallop. The infantry mJide their first brigade attack, £OOO men being launched against a theoretical enemy occupying a strong position on Schist Hill. The brigadier (Colonel Smith) and the brigade major _ (Captain Moore) acted as umpires, and Lieutenantcolonel M'Clymont, of the 14th, was m charge of the attack. The Fourth Hopiment delivered a frontal pinning attack, the 14th and Coast Defence acted as reserves, and the Bth and 10th delivered the main attack, and the most successful one, upon the left flank. Afterwards the officers were collected on the hill, and the brigadier criticised the operation. _ The march back to camp was something in tne nature of a forced march, and the Bth arrived first. The engineers were to-day erecting a temporary bridge on straw pontoons for the artillery. Their work so far has been in the natnre cf steadying down the horses and practising taking position. The B Battery, under Maior Ritchie, consists of 4 howitzers, and the C Battery, under Captain Lennie, of four 18-pounders.