TERRITORIAL NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 19272, 10 June 1926, Page 11

TERRITORIAL NOTES

[By Skirmisher.] The annual postings are now completed, and arrangements for the new year's training of Territorials and Cadets are well under way. By the courtesy of the staff officer (Major Boll), I have lien supplied with the posting returns, the principal figures of which aro as follow Total registration, 1,003; of this number 1,295 have been posted to the Cadets, 33 to Territorials, 223 to Non-effective List, and 52 to tho Reserve. The total strength of the Cadet forces is now 2,929 (48 officers and 2,881 other ranks), as against a total of 2,509 (48 officers and 2.521 other ranks) at the beginning of last training year. These figures show an increase of 360 over last year. Trainees who have attained, and will attain, the age of eighteen years during tho current year have been posted to the Territorial units as follow;sth N.Z. Mounted Rifles, 40. 12th Battery, N.Z.A., 01. 14th Battery, N.Z.A.,80. Ist Battalion, Otago Regiment, 413. Total new postings, 594. The following is the numerical strength of each unit for the current year;— sth N.Z.M.R.—Officers 27, other ranks 383, bandsmen 10; total, 420. 12th Battery, N.Z. A.—-Officers 5, other ranks 182, bandsmen 29; total, 210. 1 14th Battery, N.Z.A.—Officers G, 'other ranks 235; total, 241. I Ist Battalion, O.K.—Officers 38, ■ other ranks 1,111; bandsmen 19; total, 1.163. This shows a total of Territorials now >n active training of 76 officers, 1,911 ' other ranks, 53 bandsmen. Grand total. 2.045. i The number of Territorials on the Non-effcctivo List is 583, as against ■ 683 last year; Cadets 542, as against 473 last year. On Monday, the 21st of last month, tho officers of tho Ist Battalion, 0.R., held a mess parade at the Wentworth Tea. Rooms, there being thirty-one present. who were presided over by Lieu-tenant-colonel H. E. Barrowclougli, D. 5.0., M.G. Immediately after mess the annual meeting of officers was hold in tho officers’ club rooms, and the meeting was addressed by the commanding officer. R.S.M. W.O.T. J- Cummings, Ist Battalion, 0.R.. has recently received a very fine photograph of members of sergeants’ mess of the 2nd Battalion, “The Cameramans” (Scottish Rifles). To this famous Scottish regiment the Ist Battalion. O.R.,is allied, and a fine fooling is said to exist between the two regiments. The photo is taken in front of the regimental barracks at Quetta. As from May 31 an important change over has taken place at Kensington Drill Hall. Captain F. L. Hunt has relinquished tho appointment of adjutant of sth N.Z.M.R. and Ist Battalion 0.R., and has been appointed area officer in charge of Area XL A. Captain S. M. Satterthwaite has relinquished his appointment of area officer, and has taken over the position of adjutant to sth N.Z.M.R. and Ist Battalion O.R. The following medals have recently been awarded:—Captain Peter M’Kenzie, Colonial Auxiliary Forces, Long Service Medal for twenty years’ service; Major G. H. Allan, N.Z. Long and Efficient Service Medal, for sixteen years’ continuous service; Lieutenant T. R. Robertson, N.Z. Service Medal, for twelve years’ continuous service. All are attached to the Ist Battalion O.R. , In March of next year a grand military tournament- and pageant is to be l-elrl in Christchurch, and for this the Defence Department is obtaining from England most of the gear used in the grand pageant of Empire held several v’cars ago. After Christchurch similar tournaments will be held in Wellington and Auckland respectively. It is intended to hold these in the principal centres of each command every three years. Reference was made from Christchurch in a “special” to tho ‘Star’ last evening to a subject on which I briefly touched in my last notes—viz., that of reorganisation of mounted rifle training in New Zealand. Owing to the difficulty of city trainees in obtaining hordes to take into their annual the Defence Department has decided to reorganise _ tho mounted rifle branch of tho service on its pre-war basis. Troops of mounted rifles are being formed in tho country districts, and Canterbury is evidently hopeful of raising a complete mounted regiment. Though no definite information Is yet to hand regarding the _ Otago district, I hare reason to believe that good progress is being made, and that prospects of forming a strong mounted force are very bright. I hope to be able to impart definite information on this subject shortly.