TERRITORIAL ARMY.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13857, 18 April 1917, Page 2

TERRITORIAL ARMY.

THIS YEAR'S CAMPS. FAULTS IN THE TKAINING. ■ EOME "HINTS" TO OFFICERS,

Some rather candid criticism of the Territorial camps being held this .year is contained in General Orders issued on Friday. It has a special application to officers, and also to the employmentof men in unnecessary duties, The General Order states:-^-"The attention of all concerned is directed to the following. Strict compliance with these orders must lie-in-fisted upon. "Syllabus of Training—The Syllabus of Training issued from Headquaiiera shorn) the maximum standard of efficiency to which units'mil be allowed to go. Until the squad, section, and other minor training of a unit is enlirely satisfactory no endeavour must be made to proceed lo higher training. All attempts to do so on the part of unit commanders must be firmly discouraged. Higher training without individual and complete ell'iciency is profitless and fatal to success. "The 'B' Syllabus of Training must be adhered to by tlie majority of units during 1917, "Officers.—Officers who are obviously unfitted to instruct will be placed in a squad and drilled by the sergeantmajor of a unit until passed as efficient by the adjutant. They are not to be permitted to drill a unit until so qualified. The practice of permitting'yoiiiig officers fo-assumc control

of a unit on parade, or llic role of spectator, must lie abolished. "X.C'.O.'s.—N.C.O.'s who arc not qualified to instruct will be placed in a squad under flic beat available instructor until passed as efficient by the adjutant, They will not be permitted to drill a unit until so .qualified. "Training,—As it ; is obvious that only faulty and bad training can be expected from officers and n.c.o.'s who arc inexperienced, in addition to the loss of confidence and indiscipline which'results in the soldier, the withdraw«l of officers and n.c.o.'s into instructional Bquads will not affect the efficiency of units, it may, however, Vesult in the efficient officers and "n.c.o.'s having to supervise and give instruction to larger units, At the present abuonnal time this must be expected, and it is obviously better that one efficient instructor give good and practical instruction to a hundred soldiers than' four incapable instructors give bad and useless instruction to the same number, Inexperienced officers and n.c.o.'s must not be allowed to experiment and practise upon inexperienced soldiers, "Extra Regimental Employments The practice of permitting a large number of all ranks to escape training by unnecessary' fatigues, guards, and other duties in. camp, and of allowing officers' servants and mess orderlies to remain • off all parades, . must be stopped. Permanent duties in enmp -whiflrprevent a soldier from attending parades (such as cooks and sanitary men) must be 'filled by trained soldiers. The officers' servant only should be allowed to remain off parade, who will be responsible for all tho officers' tents, and all mess orderlies, with the exception of those absolutely necessary, should attend every parade. '' In one camp recently it was found that over fifty men were idling in camp during training hours. ..In a wellorganised battalion of a thousand men the maximum number of soldiers allowed off parade or camp duties would be under tw'cnty. To allow untrained soldiers to escape training in this manner is most reprehensible. ''Sick—A large number of young soldiers continually report sick in order to avoid fatigues or drill. Care mu3t bo taken that the daily sick-parade takos place at a sufficiently early hour to allow, all those >vho arc found fit for duty by the medical officer to parade with their companies, To allow young soldiers to escape parade and early, rising by reporting sick for trifling' reasons is to colirt indiscipline and inefficiency. "Captain of the Day, and Orderly Officer.—The Captain of. the Day will attend all parades, and the orderly officer, and qiiartcrmastor should be the only officers allowed in camp during training-time.

"Stall Instructor:).—Stiift' inatructovs must not be used i'or work other than instructional, They jnust-attend every parade, and be so distributed as to ensure that all ranks benefit by their instruction. Oir' no account will, they be permitted to .uihloiMc administrative duties within tlie unit which in tcrfcrc. with theii' propcrdiities ol' instruction. ' ■ " Bands,—While • bands jire encour-. ■aged and tlicir value is recognised and appreciated, care iuilst be 'taken that-' all members ot a band receive military i 11, lining and institution in lust .ml Tins iij' ,i liiust messaiy pait of n battalion'«tininmg ' f J i