Motor-cycle Platoon for The Hawke’s Bay Regiment

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 38, 15 February 1937, Page 2

Motor-cycle Platoon for The Hawke’s Bay Regiment

RECRUITS WANTED. (Special to “Times.”) HASTINGS, Last Night. Provided that sufficient recruits are obtained, the motor-cycle platoon of 'the Hawke’s Bay Regiment will be formed before the annual camp of the regiment at Dannevirke next month, and will accompany it to camp for training. It is expected to recruit the full platoon, numbering 32 motorcyclists, from Hastings and Napier, but training will be begun us soon as ten or a dozen recruits have been obtained. Plans for a carrier for a machine-gun to be attached to tho motor-cycle have, it is understood, been prepared by the Ordnance Department, but the careers aro hot ready for use. It has been decided, however, that the platoon will consist of four Lewis gun sections, each comprising eight cyclists. Ono of the in will have the gun attached to his bicycle, another will carry spare parts and a quantity of ammunition, and the rest will be equipped with further ammunition and supplies. The Ist Battalion of the Hawke’s Bay Regiment is anxious to establish, a platoon before the annual camp, and the commanding officer hopes that sufficient recruits will be offering in Hastings and Napier. The annual camp, at Dannevirke, begins on March 16, when officers and N.O.O’s will assemble, and the remainder of the regiment will enter camp on March 13. The motorcycle platoon will ride through from Napier on Alarch 13. The motor-cycle platoon of the Ist Battalion of the Wellington Kegiment, which has been iu camp with the regiment at Waipukurau, carried out a road reconnaissance from Waipukurau to Napier, headed by the platoon commander, Lieutenant R. B. Fell. He said that the platoon had carried out a very useful w-eek’s work iu camp, and would speedily be worked into a smart and mobile unit of the regiment. One particularly good feat was the climb by the whole platoon to the top of Alount Vernon. The hill had no road to tho top, and although it bad on 6ccasions been climbed by individual cyclists, tho feat of the platoon in going up in formation was regarded a? excellent.