TERRITORIALS

Evening Star, Issue 18331, 19 July 1923, Page 1

TERRITORIALS

[By Skiewishir.]

Items of interest concerning Corps (Town and Country), shooting, and Territorial notes generally will be accepted. Copy, addressed to “ Skirmisher,” should be <n hand not later than Monday morning.

ARTILLERY NOTES

Simultaneously with ,tho commencement of drill activities by the other branches old the service, the artillery have started the new training year in earnest. The first two parades were necessarily taken up by the issue -J uniforms to the new trainees (a notable feature in this respect being the substitution of the slouch hat and pugarcc lor the familiar forage cap); but already a stare has been inado on the, 1! I t tl 6 year’s training. The loss ot a number of n.c.o.s and gunners wlio. iinvin" completed their training, are posted to the Reserve, has been ampiv counterbalanced by a substantial increase in the complements of both batteries, which are now, to all interests and purposes, up to “ full lighting strength.” High as lias boon the standard of work and discipline in previous years —a fact attested by excellent results at the live-shell practices—it is hoped this year to hotter the record, not only in gunnery, but also in Lewis gun and rillo activities and in performances on the field of sport.

Sccond-liout. L. A. It,bodes was recently appointed lieutenant.

Three new officers have recently been taken on the strength of the batteries in Dunedin—in the 12th Battery, Second-lieut. J. F. G. Stark; in the 14th Battery, beuoi cl-iicc.-,. Parker and R. E. Sleigh. Those officers will bo of material assistance to the battery commanders and the units generally. The parados this week have been again affected by the influenza, tno numbers turning out to the various parades being comparatively small. The work of the syllabus has thus been interfered with.

A number of tho officers have also been affected; no one sqnadi on or enm,'iiny ot either otli Mounted Rilles or Ist Battalion is without its casuality list in tho commissioned ranks.

Lieut. R. J. D. Davis, N.Z.S.C. musketry instructor, Southern Commands, is at present in Dunedin. \i bile here ho is holding special classes or instruction for otneors and n.c.o.s m imwis gun and also Vicker’s gnu work. Classes will be held as lonow; —(n----day (20th), 7.;J0 p.m., at Drill Hall, Lewis gnu class; Saturday (21st) alternoon, at rifle range, Lewis gun (firing); Monday (23rd), 7.80 p.m., at Drill Hall, Vickor’s gnu class; Tuesday (24th) 7.30 p.m., at Drill Hall, Vicker’s gun class.

u is hoped that all officers and n.c.o.s will endeavor to attend these classes.

The commissioned ranks of the Ist Battalion, Otago Regiment, have lately been strengthened by the appointment on probation ot Sec'ond-licnt. W. X. Searle, who was an old pupil of tho Waitaki Boys’ High School, and is now in Dunedin studying medicine. While at Waitaki School Lieutenant Bearlo was platoon-sergeant, and was successful in winning several competitions while holding that appointment. Ills work in tho battalion may bo watched with interest, as, coming from a family with a lino record in Volunteer and Territorial service, ho is sure to rise and make his mark in tho military world. Second-lieut, (on probation) J. M. Briggs has been recently appointed also. Lieutenant Briggs is 'attached to “ A ” Squadron, 6th Mounted Rifles, and is in charge of the Hotchkiss Troop. This officer was formerly a member of the Ist Battalion, but some time ago transferred to tho sth Mounted Rifles to take up'Hotchkiss gun work. Lieutenant Briggs, it will be remembered, was in charge of the Hotchkiss gun teams which were so successful at Trentham and Christchurch last year. Fie was also a member of the winning team in the United Service Teams’ Match at Trentham last N. meeting. Arrangements for tho officers’ ball are now well in hand, and invitations are being sent out. I have been asked to make it clear that officers’ friends .may bo invited.