MOUNTED MEN IN CAMP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15307, 21 May 1913, Page 8

MOUNTED MEN IN CAMP.

I" 1 '. ' . ♦ —■ -; GOOD WORK AT KERIKERI, -,'j:- ■':,•.' .-.;. •■' ,■•.'■' ';.% '■"•'.■■■...■.■'■ : .<:. ■'■': : :.:S^- : : : .'■•-}.- ;:''-■*', GENERAL GODLEY'S PRAISE. NEED FOR BETTER HORSES. ■/.'»/■; V;' .'.'■•'.■'.:';' ~■-. : :;U': : '.;.''■>: '■'.--••'*"'; - : '. ; ' '■■'-:! Three hundred men of the 11th (North Auckland)" Regiment : ': are at present: in camp at- Kerikeri, near Russell. " Last evening Major-General A. J. Godley, Commandant of- the -Forces/ returned from * a visit to ; the encampment, and he gave an account of the work that is being don© and his opinions upon it. . The position of the camp was described by General Godley as a very suitable one, with a particularly : good ground for manoeuvring. : On Sunday there was a church parade,; and afterwards the commandant inspected the camp and tho men and their horses, and was very pleased with the general appearance of both. The horses were v mostly of a good stamp, but there were some which were not of a high stand-; ard, and he expressed the hope that the men would make ah effort to provide themselves with more suitable mounts before next year. \ - ■ Work in the field was carried out '■ on Monday.' A skeleton enemy,'.composed of one troop under Lieutenant' Mackersey, with its position '; marked by flags, .was established about four miles V from the camp,, and the regiment manoeuvred against this position. -Starting from y the camp, the regiment, -with scouts out, covered the country as the advance guard of ', an 'imaginary/ force. ' Arriving near the enemy's position, the ; force ' dismounted and attacked fon :■"; foot, ;' two squadrons , , making a frontal .' ;•; attack, and a third, which was detached via Kerikeri, attacking on C; the enemy's J flank.; General Godley said , the manoeuvre was very well executed, f.tli*;: men displaying great keenness, and appreciation of what was required of them. : After a long advance on foot, and heavy; fire with ; blank cartridge haying ■; been; brought ;to bear on the position, the .squadrons established a ring-fence of fire, round the enemy 'and, finally, on a trumpet ' signal ; by the commanding officer, they . rose ; arid: charged, carrying the position with a cheer. "The whole operations > were • extremely ,well carried out,!' satid the general, " arid I was very pleased with ,the. way in which the squadrons were led arid with the way in which the regiment--, worked *in '■;. the field." , ' / /'; ■' Subsequently, , General Godley inspected the troops -at regimental -drill, under Colonel "Mackersey; the officer in command.. ••',-', „ \ ' .