Home Guard Activities

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 124, 27 May 1941, Page 8

Home Guard Activities

FIELD DAY EXERCISES OVER WEEK-END There was considerable activities over the -week-end in the Home Guard area commanded, by Lieut. C. V. Ciochetto, M.C., M.M. The officers of the City North Battalion paid a visit to Foxton to complete their reconnaissance in preparation for a tactical exercise which will bo undertaken on June 2. At Te Horo, a company composed of Home Guardsmen from Paekakariki, Paraparaumu, Waikanae and Manakau formed the enemy units who were opposed by the Otaki and Te Iloro units The w r eather was ideal for crosscountry exercise of this nature and while entering into the spirit of a series of engagements, there is no doubt that every Homo Guardsmen who took part enjoyed the experience. Headquarters Group consisting of Messrs. C. V. Ciochetto, F. Gatley and A. T. White took up their position on -a high point near Ganges 7 farm where they could watch the operations which extended over about two miles of tho coast. Tho umpire was Major Bose, formerly of Palmerston North and now of Paraparaumu. Tho object of the exercise was to demonstrate the possibiity of maintaining contact with an enemy force and the receipt and delivery of signal messages back to Army Headquarters. The engagement was timed to finish at 12.30 p.m. at which time an excellent lunch had been arranged by tho ladies of the district, after which Platoon Commander J. L. Chapman, assisted by Mr. Bowler, gave a very interesting demonstration of the use of Molotov cocktails and jam tin bombs. At Shannon the Poroutawhao Battalion which is formed from Home Guard units* of Shannon, Poroutawhao, Koputaroa, Tokomaru and Opiki under Battalion Commander C. E. C. Webb, were paraded and inspected by Major J. E. H. Mewett, 0.8. E., M.C., SubArea Commander. Platoon Commanders J. S. Yeates and S. B. Johnston gave demonstrations similar to those given by Platoon Commander Chapman at Te Horo.