MECHANISED ARMY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 10 September 1937, Page 7

MECHANISED ARMY

TERRITORIAL TRAINING SCHEME MOTOR SECTION FOR EVERY UNIT i I llv Telegraph —Pi'chh Aiwiciul ion I V ELLINGTON, 9th September. Motor vehicles are to he extensively used in the reorganisation and training! nl the Territorial Force. Each military district will have a pool of army type vans, trucks and lorries which will be available for all units for week-end I raining, annual camps and ot her out- j door work. In view of the fact, that New ! Zealand holds second place in the world for density of motor-vehicles in proportion to population there are ample rej sources to draw from lor military purI poses during any emergency. I " I lie new plans oiler scope to efficient dilvers and mechanics for attractive as well ns useful training,” said the Minister lof Defence, lion. E. Jones, in all interj view last evening. "In future, every I territorial unit will have a motor trailsj i*oit section, specially enlisted and train jcd as military drivers. This dues net mean that an army lurry-driver requires to he drilled. It simply means that he must lie ihie to read a map and develop what may be called a sense of routes. In addition, the army motor-vehicles driver has to learn how best to safeguard himself and his vehicle from more than the everyday ha/.aids of the road. The scheme of training includes provision for the individual development of such resourcefulness.

"The motor transport section will take over and operate the army pool transport when allotted to units for training. L feel confident that there are many keen, competent trade-vehicle drivers who will join up, extend (heir experience and give a most valuable service for their country as higldy-eliicient territorials. Eventually it may he possible to include as part of the motor transport equipment a section of 'dragons,’ the small fully-tracked vehicle which the British Army lias adopted for carrying machine-guns and hauling artillery. Just now all production of these specialised vehicles is earmarked for the rearmament programme in the United Kingdom. "As regards artillery, gun-horses arc being replaced everywhere by some form of motor-tractor. The difficulty, so far, lias been to combine adequate cross-coun-try performance with modern road speeds. Most of the modern armies, after extensive experiments, arc adopting some form of pneumatic-tired wheels for all mobile artillery. The initial cost is fairly high, but the actual wheel and tire assembly is standard commercial equipment and 'herefore readily replaced." Air Jones roiened to the popularity of the motor-cyclist section, known as the "Blackberries.” These Lewis gun platoons are regarded as the corps d’elite of the territorial force. The men look smart in their black berets, and their appearance and uniform will be still further improved shortly by the provision of black gauntlet gloves, black belts and black knee-boots or gaiters. A somewhat similar organisation based oil the British Army experiments with motor cavalry is being tried out with a proportion of the New Zealand Alounted Lillies. In each district a squadron containing both Vickers and light machineguns will be fully motorised. The use of horses, however, will not he eliminated. It is recognised that in difficult country the horse still provides the most efficient transportation. Thus, mounted riflemen will always have a definite and necessary role in the defence system of New Zealand.