BATTERY UNDER CANVAS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 69, 20 February 1932, Page 2

BATTERY UNDER CANVAS.

, The 7th Battery N.Z.F.A. returned to town to-day from its bivouac training at Waipukurau. The battery, fitty-six strong, was under the command of Captain J. Dash who had associated with him Lieutenants Pliilp, Coles and Page. Notwithstanding the trying weather conditions th'at prevailed throughout the camp, the unit put up a splendid performance and well deserved . the congratulatory remarks of the inspecting officers. . After two days’-training the battery moved off on Thursday to a point- six miles from . camp for its shoot. The range was the most difficult one yef. fired over at Waipukurau and -the highly satisfactory nature of, : .the battery’s performance reflected credit' on the instructors and the men themselves. The shoot was witnessed by Major-General Sinclair, Burgess, G.0.C., and Colonel Symon, Director of Artillery, who complimented the gun detachments on the steadiness of their laying and on the quietness with which they did their work. The return of the battery to camp was made memorable by the deluge which was experienced on the way, an inch of rain falling in half an hour. Drenched to the skin and oozing water, the men rose superior to the atrocious conditions and carried on in the best of good spirits. A fresh issue of denims from the quartermaster’s store 1 and. a hot meal on arrival at camp met with unanimous approval. On Friday the battery went for. a" route march during which it was inspected by the Brigade Commander, Lieut.-Colonel Lyon, who expressed his appreciation of the work he had seeii. The camp was under the command of Captain G. G. Parkinson, R.NiZ.A., with Lieut. J. P. Joyce as Adjutant and Captain Park as gunnery instructor. Padre G. T. Brown went l into camp with the battery while Major Ii Wilson was Medical Offioer. The Y.M.C.A. provided a marquee, 1 and •numerous facilities for the use of the men under the. control of the military secretary, Mr L. Anderson. , A notable innovation in the camp, and a most useful one too, was. The large drying marquee heated by coke braziers. Within twenty-four ■ hours all wet clothing was dried and fit for use again. The men freely expressed the opinion that they had had a 1 Wonderful time in camp and were already keenly looking forward to their return to Waipukurau next year. The splendid spirit shown, by , all (stated a gentleman interested in the movement) points to an early justification of the reintroduction of the volunteer system and the rapid increase in numbers of Palmerston North batteries.