NAVY AND ARMY GOSSIP

Evening Star, Issue 20320, 31 October 1929, Page 18

NAVY AND ARMY GOSSIP

FROM RANGE TO PARADE GROUND [Notes- by Scoux.] NAVAL RESERVES GUN' DRILL: COMPETITION. A competition in 4in gun drill tor a trophy donated to the Otago Division, RiN/VCR., is to be carried out on drill nights, - OTAGO MOUNTED RIFLES ' CENTRAL OTAGO TROOPS. Lieutenant C. Shuttleworth, N.Z.S.C., and S.S.M. (W. 0.1) W. R. C. Whyte, N.Z.P.S., left for Becks on Thursday morning last. They also visit on this trip Alexandra and Cromwell to complete the annual musketry courses of those Central Otago Mounted Rifles. DANCE. Headquarters Wing, 0.M.R., and A Squadron will hold their second dance in the N.C.O.s’ club room this evening, and a record attendance is expected. ARTILLERY PROMOTIONS. Bombardier J. Green and Lance-bom-bardier B. L. Burns (of 12th Field Battery) have been promoted to the rank of lance-sergeants as from October 16. CADETS PROMOTIONS. —D Company.—■ The following promotions in D Company, 3rd Cadet Battalion, Port Chalmers, ai-e announced: —Sergeant J. R. Catchpolo to bo company sergeantmajor, Sergeant C. J. Codings to be company quartermaster-sergeant, and Lance-corporal G. P. Catchpolo to be corporal. SIGNAL SECTION. The Cadet signal section lias now passed the elementary stage in Hag drill, and the majority of the lads are handling their flags as ably as fullytrained signallers. Each Thursday evening the section is opened out for a short period of flag drill, and prospective N.C.O.s are given an opportunity of taking charge. The section is then formed into groups, and station work is carried on. Already the boys are making good use of the message form, and are becoming conversant with signalling procedure. The first half-day parade will be held on Saturday, November 9. when stations will be set up on the hills surrounding Anderson’s Bay. IMPERIAL CHALLENGE SHIELD. The Imperial Challenge Shield competition is now in its closing stages, and the staff at the Drill Hall is busily employed m finalising the details preparatory to forwarding targets, scores, and registers to Command Headquarters, where they are duo on November 16. The shooting all round has been rather disappointing, especially in the junior companies of the Otago Boys’ High School, but among the senior boys of the school some splendid scores have been registered. Over 400 Cadets in the school fired for the competition, the average scores reaching about 60, although the most outstanding were:— Cadet T. Callander 93, Cadet G. De Lautour 92, and Sergeant S. W. Cayzer 92. D Company, 3rd Cadet Battalion, Port Chalmers, completed its shoot for this competition on the first of the hnonth and satisfactory results were obtained, an average of 63.4 being obtained. As this shooting had to be completed before the annual musketry course was finished this result is quite good. BOXING TROPHIES. The hon. secretary (S.S.M. A. V. Johnson) of the Cadet boxing tournament. reports that all trophies have been received from the engravers, and may be obtained by the winners'on application to his office at the Drill HaH. ______ OTAGO OFFICERS’ CLUB CAPTAIN HUNT FAREWELLED. Last Friday evening the Otago Officers’ Chib rooms were packed with officers of the Otago district representing every branch of the service, including the Air Force, on the occasion oi a farewell smoko to Captain F. L. Hunt, N.Z.S.C., prior to his departure for Auckland. Captain S. G. M'Donald, M.C., occupied the chair, and, iu opening the proceedings, referred to the fact that the function had been arranged by members of tbe District Social Committee, which had only recently been inaugurated by Cap tain Hunt himself. A lengthy list of apologies for absence was received. Major A. S. Falconer, D. 5.0., M.C., officer commanding Otago Regiment, on behalf of the officers of the district presented Captain Hunt with a silver entree dish engraved with the Otago Regimental badge and tbe inscription; “To Captain and Mrs F. L. Hnnt, ns a mark of appreciation from the officers of Otago district.” Major Falconer paid high tribute to Captain -Hunt as a st T officer, and made feeling reference to Mrs Hunt and her help and loyalty to the regiment. ; _ On rising to respond, Captain Hunt was greeted with prolonged applause He thanked those present on.behalf of his wife and himself for attending in such numbers to bid him farewell, and also for the handsome gift they had bestowed'upon him. Ho then gave a brief account of his military career from the day when he beedme a corporal in tbe Otago High School Naval Cadets right up to the period he had spent iu Dunedin. He expressed regret at having to leave so many friends, and extended all a warm welcome to visit him when in the northern city. Vocal, elocutionary, and musical items were contributed by Messrs Ruffle (songs) and C. Huff (piano), Flightlieutenant Umbers (humorous sketch), Majors J. MTherson (stories), and J, W. Smeaton (comic song). LECTURE. —'Naval History of New Zealand.’— ‘ The Naval History of New. Zealan • d ’was the subject of a most interesting lecture given by Commandei E. F. Watson, R.D., R.N.V.R., in the Otago Officers’ Club rooms to a large audience on Tuesday evening. Follow tug is a summary of the address;— • The subject matter of New Zealand naval history commenced in 1846 when the Maori wars compelled New Zealand to participate and co-operate with the ships of the Royal Navy station. Conspicuous amongst the action? appeared the Naval Brigade from the Imperial ships and locally-owned river craft, in the Waikato, Tauranga, and

Wanganui districts. Two V.C.'s were earned by the naval forces and other notable acts of bravery occurred. The dominion's contributions wero dealt with between 1864 and 1914—namely, the Navals, officially known as New Zealand garrison artillery volunteers who woro naval uniforms. The various naval policies were outlined, the features of H.M.S. Philomel in her operations during tho war 1914-18. The Motor Boat Patrol that was merged into the R.N.V.R in the United Kingdom. This force served in motor launches, at the Dardanelles, Mediterranean, and United Kingdom The intimate personal accounts were touched throughout and New Zealanders should know what their dominion had contributed in its naval history, which was now their tradition At the close of his remarks Commander Watson touched on a few points of the naval defence of New Zealand which wero more or less of a confidential nature. The lecturer was accorded a vote of thanks. KIWI RIFLE CLUB LAST SATURDAY'S SHOOTING. Last Saturday afternoon saw the final of the preliminaries for the Kiwi Rifle Club's season, when the final of the president's match was fired over 500yds and 600yds. The weather was fairly good, but tho dull light at 600yds caused tho majority of the scores to be lower than usual. Rifleman W. Mills's 65 was an excellent effort, scored as follows:—sooyds: 5, 5,4, 5, 4, 5, 4 (32). 600yds: 5,4, 5, 4, 5, 5, 5 (33). Rifleman W. M'Keich's 64 read:—sooyds: 4,4, 5,5, 5,5, 5 (33). 600yds: 5, 4, 5,4, 4,4, 5 (31). These two scores were outstanding for the day, although there was a number of 32's at 500yds. Rifleman A. Warburton (a new member) scored 30 at 600yds, with an outer for his second last shot, which showed that he hit hard for tho others. Tho position for the prizes changed very little, and the first three finished with only one point difference. Rifleman N. Jones (a son of the veteran Rifleman T. Jones) scored a popular win, while the other prize-winners are no less to be congratulated nn their good showings for their first season. Compared with the same match last year, the scoresshow a big increase. The weather cor ditions this year have been slight]' better, but against that there is tlr reduction h th« bull's-eye. The win ning score this year is 198, as against ISO last year. Fort tho range badge, which is tho scores off the rifle. Rifleman W. Mills's 186 is better by 6 points than the winner's score last year. This score is just 3 points short of an average of 4.5 per shot for three Saturdays, twice over each of the three ranges—3ooyds, 500yds, and BOOvds. Next Saturday the championship series will start, the match being ten shots at 300yds and 500yds. PERSONAL Lieutenant A. H. Sugden, N.Z.S.C. (who for the past two years has been stationed in India with the 2nd Battalion. Middlesex Regiment) has now officially taken over the position of area officer, Area XI. A, from Captain F. L. Hunt, NZ.S.C, who left for Auckland via Trentham on Tuesday morning.