GUNS IN ACTION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 300, 2 December 1933, Page 8

GUNS IN ACTION

AUCKLAND BATTERY LONG RANGE FIRING. DIRECTION-FINDING DEVICES. Interesting shooting practices were carried out Dy the lath Medium Battery, Auckland, at Rotorua. The battery has been in training at the Rotorua racecourse for a week, and this morning firing practice was commenced. Two heavy GU-pouudcrs, both ot which had been used in the Great War, were drawn by motor-lorry to the Defence Department’s range on a 10,000acre block on the Atiamuri read, lour miies from Rotorua. The climb from the road to the elevated firing position on the range with one gun m tow proved too great a task for the lorry, and its power was supplemented by the strength of 30 men, who pulled on drag-ropes,. Both guns were eventually got into position and target practice began. The guns were trained in the direction ot Taupo, and 6600 yards away targets resembling trenches had been placed in position the previous day. Four series of target practices were carried out, and in connection with their work the gun crews hud the most modern devices in range-finding to assist them.

TARGET OUT OF SIGHT. in the first series of practices the object was shooting in tor line and testing the guns on the line. The target could not be seen from the firing position, and the guns were directed Iroin an observation post 2500 yards to the front and' flank of the line of fire. Directions were signalled to the gunnery position officer, Lieutenant G. J. Stewart, by Major G. T. Gillespie, range officer, by flag, heliograph ami wireless. The suu suited the observation post staff admirably, and Morse signals were flashed through without difficulty. Replies and acknowledgements were returned by flag. A little later wireless equipment arrived on. tho scene. This was the first time wireless telegraphy and telephony had been used in the field in New Zealand, and in a very short time the equipment was in operation, and the receipt and delivery of messages were speeded up ap. preciably. Wireless is now the regular equipment of a medium field battery. USE OF SHRAPNEL. Tho shooting was remarkably good, and at the fifth shot the target was knocked down. Time percussion shrapnel was used in another series of shoots. Two observation posts were used in one exercise, one observer being in the mam observation post and another in a. subsidiary one. A spectacular interlude occurred when Squadron-Leader L. M. Isitt, accompanied by an observer and telegraphist, flew overhead. The aeroplane crew immediately got into telegraphic touch with an Air Force telegraphist, who had arrived at the firing post by ear. There was a wireless set in the car, and during the next series the firing was directed from the aeroplane. The two guns fired several salvoes. The last series was a prediction shoot, the whole of tho range-finding being done from reference maps and gun range-finders alone. There was no observation of the target, and the target was not in sight. Instruments at the gun position were used to ascertain the distance, and factors such as wind and temperature were taken into account and co-ordinated. KEENNESS AND SKILL SHOWN. The shoot was very successful, and tho officers, non-commissioned officers and men displayed keenness and skill. Among those who took part were Captain K. Fraser, battery commander, and Lieutenants F. Rawle and E. S. Harrowell, section commanders. Major G. B. Parkinson was chief instructor, and Lieutenant C? E. Weir was adjutant. Among the visitors to-day were Colonel J. E. Duigau, officer in charge of the Northern Command, and Lieuten-ant-Colonel I. T. Standish, adjutant and quartermaster-general. During to-day’s practice half charges were used. It is proposed to use full charges to-morrow, and to fire over a range of 15,000 yards. The battery will return to Auckland on Saturday.