Successful High School Barracks Ends

Northern Advocate, 26 February 1944, Page 5

Successful High School Barracks Ends

Regarded as tne most successful ever held, the annual barracks of the Whangarei High School cadets concluded this morning,. when the boys were conveyed back to town in transport from a permanent camp at Kamo made available during the week by the army authorities. One of the highlights of the week’s training was a visit to the artillery range at Titoki yesterday, a convoy of 17 vehicles covering the distance of 16 miles in proper military formation. During the morning the boys carried out field exercises and enjoyed a picnic lunch on top of the ridge. In the afternoon units of the North Auckland Regiment demonstrated the firing of infantry weapons, including the 21b. anti-tank gun, 3in. mortar, Vickers machine-gun (with tracers), the bren, and a 2in. mortar. Later some of the cadet instructors were given the opportunity of firing all these weapons. The boys showed, remarkable accuracy with the 21b. anti-tank gun. One of the boys, Cadet T. Weir, gained a direct hit at his first attempt. Use of smoke as camouflage and the firing of the 3in. mortar, with, at one period, nine shells in the air at once, i was spectacularly demonstrated by the territorials. Last night an entertaining camp concert was given before the usual supper of cocoa. This morning at a ceremonial parade, the unit was inspected by the Area Commander (Lieut.-Col. H. P. ConyersBrown), who presented the McDermot Cup, which the Whangarei senior cadets won last year. The trophy is for the best .303 rifle shooting in. the Northern Military District, the Whangarei cadets gaining the fine average of 72 out of 90.

The camp was cleaned and equipment handed in l’eady for departure at 10.30 this morning. Interviewed today, Lieut.-Col. H. G. Dyer, who was in charge, spoke in the highest appreciation of the co-opera-tion extended by the military authoi’ities, pai'ticulaiTy by the camp commandant (Capt. A. A. Mackey) and his staff.

“We were particularly fortunate in that both the camp commandant and Ihe quartermaster were schoolteachers accustomed to cadet work and well aware of our problems and needs,” Colonel Dyer remarked. “The boys are especially' indebted to the cooks, who provided fare of first-class standard.”