WEEK-END BIVOUAC

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 14 March 1939, Page 5

WEEK-END BIVOUAC

AT LAKE ROTOITI RECENT MANOEUVRES BY REGIMENT With ideal weather another succesful bivouac was held recently at Lake Rotoiti by the Support Company of the Nelson Marlborough and West coast Regiment under the command of Captoin M. A. Nightingale. Other .officers in the camp assisting with the training were Lieutenant K. Wood, 2nd Lieutenant R. Blair, Machine Gunners and 2nd Lieutenant N. Jones Signallers. The total number in camp was 6 officers and 6G other ranks. 2nd Lieutenant Richards and five other ranks were attending a Stokes Mortar course in Burnham and unfortunately were unable to attend the camp. The Company left Nelcon per medium of motor transport with 14 vehicles in a column. After camp was pitched the troops enjoyed a swim in the lake and then work was commenced. In the evening, night firing operations were carried out with the use of ball ammunition. Theis was valuable training as it permitted all gun numbers to participate in the shooting. Varilights were used for different signals and these in addition to the tracer bullets made a very spectacular show. The signallers were busy in their training laying wires and establishing visual (lamp) stations and were sending and receiving messages during the whole period. Sunday was a busy day for everybody. The adjudant, Captain Eyre had set out a tactical scheme for defending the top portion of the Wairau Valley in two exercises. In the first operation the Company moved off from the Lake to Wairau Valley as a motorised column to take up their positions there. The second phase was to take up another defensive position on the high ground in the vicinity of Top House. Here the motor vehicles were used again this being the latest methods of army transport. The exercoses finished, lunch was prepared for the troops a few miles down the valley an fdrom there the column set out for Nelson after a very successful week-end bivouac. On Sunday Major C. M. Rout O. C. Nelson Depot paid a visit to the scene of operations to see the company doing its manoeuvres. ACTIVITIES DURING FITNESS WEEK It is very interesting to note the various activities of different members in the regiment during the fitness week. The following are a few details of the Regiments activities during the week. A team of runners was entered in the athletic meeting at Trafalgar Park and finished third in the final of the interhouse competition. The competitors were Lieut. R. Blair, Sergeants Todd, Stallard and Corporal May. Two teams were entered in the swimming carnival in the inter-house relay teams of four. The teams were as follows: No. 1 team, Sergeant Todd, Corporals Wiechern, Kerr and Private Jury. No. 2 team, Corporals Simister. May, Private Greenem and Lamb. Both teams swam rather well and No. 1 succeeded in getting well into the finals. Several mumbers also assisted in the instruction for the ladies’ inter-house business teams for the quick-step competition. Some of the instructors were: Lieut. Blair, R.S.M. Williams, Sergeants Stallard, Alborough and Bandsman Robinson.