TERRITORIALS.

Evening Star, Issue 16681, 13 March 1918, Page 2

TERRITORIALS.

* [By Skirmisher.] ttem! of-interest concernmo Corps (Tom» and Country), shooting and TeTrttonpl notes generally will be accepted. "Copt/, ' addressed to "Skirmisher," should be in ■ hand not later than Monday morning.. The _ following officers, members of the Expeditionary Force, are returning to duty on active service:—Captain William Ward, Second Lieutenant Frederick. W. M'Kay, Second Lieutenant George Greig, Second Lieutenant Edwin Hoffman Blomfield. * Second Lieutenants Keith Do Maus and . Frederick Wilson Lang, both unattached (b). {jwnjral list, have been appointed u* proceed or. active service with the New \ .ssaland E-rpeditionary Force. .Second Lieutenant J. Mayer, New Zealand Field Artillery, on active service, has been appointed orderly officer, 2nd Brigade, as from 19th September, 1917. A recent ' Gazette' announces that Lieutenant-colonel N. S. .Falla, D.5.0., was in command of the New Zealand' Divisional Artillery from sth to 20th November, 1917. '_ 8/3116 Sergeant A. L. Willis, Signal Services, was appointed to be second lieutenant on 19th November, 1917. Second Lieutenant G. A. Wishart, attached to Auckland Regiment, was seconded for duty to New Zealand on 16th November, 1917. Lieutenant Phillip A. Keddell, Auckland Regiment, was promoted to captain on 15th September, 1917. Second Lieutenant W. B.Williams was transferred from Auckland to Otago Regiment as from 20th November, 1917. ° • The undermentioned officers of the Otago Regiment, returned to New Zealand, are placed on the New Zealand roll .-—Captain if. Thomson, Lieutenant G. Swan (M.C.). Lieutenant B. A. Rhodes, and Second Lieutenants F. J. Traynor and A. W. Israel. - Lieutenant J. A. Gow and Second Lieutenants F. Jenkins, R. Thomson, and A. E. Martin are seconded for duty to New Zealand as from 16th November, 1917. Lieutenant J. H. Irving is seconded for duty with 2nd Anvao Corps School, dated sth November, 1917. Captain C. M. Littlejohn to be adjutant 3rd Battalion Otago Regiment as from Uth November, 1917. Major (temporary Lieutenant-colonel) J. L. Saunders, D.5.0., ceases to command 4th (Reserve) Battalion; to be O.C. of 1 transport, and relinquishes the temporary rank 01 lieutenant-colonel. Lieutenant-colonel G. S. Smith, C.M.G., D.5.0., from commanding 2nd Battalion to command 4th (Reserve) Battalion; dated 28th November, 1917. Major K. S. Caldwell to be second in j command of a service battalion. j Major J. B. M'Clymont to be lieu-tenant-colonel, and is appointed to command a service battalion as from November, 1917. Major George H. Ferguson's promotion dates from 15th Sentember, 1917. Lieutenant P. Pile to be captain, dated 15th September, 1917, and Lieutenant J p, Webber to be captain as from 17th September, 1917. The undermentioned second lieutenants have been promoted to lieutenants. Otago Regiment, dates ranging from 15th September to 12th October, 1917: W. L Girling-Butcher, R. Malcolm, J. R. B Hay, W. A. French, H. S. Gardner, C. F. Atmore, C. Waterson, H. 8. M'D. Sanson, and A. J. Whvte. . 8/1388 Sergeant T. R, Abercr'ombie, 9/951 Sergeant J. Murphv, 9/1300 Sergeant J;. -H. Hartley, and 8/3361 Corporal G. Mitchell promoted to be second lieutenants as from 27th November, 1917. Lieutenant J. Hines and Second Lieutenant A. R. Cockerell, D.5.0., are grantod temporary rank of captain, Otago •Regiment, from 13th November and 29th October respectively. A rather amusing story is told of a well-known member of Fullers' vaudeville orchestra, who was putting in his week jn camp at Wingatui with the 4th Regiment. Half an hour after lights out strains of a piccolo were heard to disturb the sleeping camp. The orderly officer was quick to locate the offending private, who was duly court martialled and awarded seven days' C.B. for his musical enthusiasm. In due course the offender was. down for an item at. a concert held in the_ camp, and before commencing he apologised to tho ladies present and. explained that if he should make mistakes it was due to the fact that he had been rudely interrupted in his practice! Since my last notes some farther particulars have come to hand regarding the shooting done at the Taiaroa Heads by 3To 2 Company, N.Z.G.A.. on 23rd and'24th or last month. It has been explained that-out of the whole company which was mobilised at the Heads for eight months at the :besrinning of the war, only two men aTe left—a sergeant-major and sergeant—all the rest having gone to tho front. Therefore the firing carried out on- the above dates was done by lads who had •been drilled ab the guns, ransre finders, etc., but had never seen a gun fired. The practice-was therefore instructional, and not carried out with a view to putting up fast times. The usual procedure is to firo to place the shot midway between two towed targets. When the 12-pounder practice was proceeding the order .was given to place a direct hit on to the leading target. The second shot blew the target to pieces, and the practice for the day was stopped. On the Sunday morning celebration practice was carried out, and in tho afternoon two series of five- rounds each ] tvere carried out at moving targets. Both I series were given to 2nd Lieutenant Fair-1 maid, as battery commander, who proved his worth by landing every shot a hit. Major Sandle, as superintendent officer expressed-himself as hirfily pleased with the results of the shooting, as it was the first experience of all the men forming the thjtMhment, and Lieutenant Fairmaia' as "* actual gun practice. There has not been much heard of No. 2 Company Garrison Artillery, for some time, but they are not lagging, and are determined to keep up their name as being the best G.A. detachment in New Zealand. Alt 9.45 yesterday morning the 4th Regiment, Divisional Signal Company, and Details struck oamp and started on their" march for town, which was reached at J-*P' m ' The work carried out during the last seven days has proved very beneficial, being of a thoroughly progressive nature. The men were kept well up to their work, and little time v.-as allowed for recreation between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. Two evenings were set apart for lectures, one on 'Camp Discipline' being given by Camp S.M. Colbert (W. 0.). and the other on 'Social Disease' by Dr Pettit. A party of ladies and gentlemen from Dun-1 edin and Mosgiel gave a most enjoy- ! ablo concert, which was very much appreciated toy all. The camp was visited on Sunday by the members of the Defence Expenditure Commission, who inspected the camp and work being earned out. In the _ afternoon a field day wa-s held. The Divisional Signal Company erected air lines, while the 4th Regiment carried but field practice and completed musketry under Major Shand."-The good work done by all proved the value of the -week's training which was carried out strictly to and was extremely gratifying to tho instructors and oamp staff. On Sunday morning a church parade was held, followed by ceremonial drill till noon, and in tho afternoon general leave was granted The Coast Defence Detachment, 4th (Otago) Regiment, under Lieutenant-colonel strong, commanding detachment, assembled at Oaversham terminus, and moved off for Wingatui camp, headed by the Coast Defence Band, at 10 minutes past 10 yesterday morning. ■ Their first halt was made at Abbotsford- station, a- second being made for lunch at Freeman's coal mine. camp being reached at. 10 minutes to 2 p.m. On, the way out -th.e-.41h Regiment was passed coming into town. • The following is the parade state:—Lieutenantcolonel Strong, officer commanding detachment; Captains Jones and Tapley, Lieutenants North and Cook, Chaplain' W. Saunders; medical officer,' Lieutenantcolonel Fulton; and about 160 rank and The total number in camp, including temp staff, is 181. Mr Fraser continues to act as Y.M.C.A. representative. The personnel of the oamp staff is as follows: —Camp- commandant, Lieutenant-colonel Frederick; adjutant, Lieutenant M'Crorie ; assistant adjutant, Lieutenant Shand; oamp sergeant-major, Sergeant-major Bishops canyn pjiartermaster, Quarter-

master-sergeant Pryde; .musketry instructors—Sergeant instructors- Lawrotice, 'Johnson, A. E. Hayman, H. W. Carver; drill instructors—Sergeant-major Bishop, Ser-geant-major Colbert (W. 0.), Sergeant instructor Dodds, Sergeant instructor M'Gregor.

The following promotions were made at the commencement". of camp:—Major M'Lean commanding C Company, 4th (Otago) Regiment; Private S. Morrison) to bo quartermaster-sergeant; Corporals V. Barkley, J. F. Kilpatrick, and H. M. Matheson, to be sergeants; Privates H. A. Dehl, J. M. Muria6B,,and J. H. Murray, to be corporals. At field day carried out by the Officers' Training Corps during their camp a fortnight ago, some very realistic work -was performed. After tho casualties had gone through the various stages from firin°' line to point -when ready to be shipped to hospital, they were put into rough shelters marked out on the ground. Much to their amusement and enjoyment the ambulance people had kettles 'boiling, and treated tho patients to a cup of hot tea. Everything was carried out exceedingly -well, the walking cases in particular being true to life, one and all having the broad smile usually horhe by the wounded bound for ißlighty. From the point of view of the onlookers who had been through the mi.U themselves, _ tho one thing lacking was the inevitable cigarette, which is so generously supplied to the wounded men at the front.