COASTAL ARTILLERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19469, 27 October 1926, Page 15

COASTAL ARTILLERY.

[TRAINING AT NORTH HEAD. REEK'S WORK FOR BATTERY. "A FINE BODY OF MEN." Over 152 officers and men of the 13th Coastal Battery, Royal New Zealand Artillerv, are at present in carnp at North Head, Bevonport. The camp, which commenced last Saturday and will end on Saturday, is under the command of Captain J. M. Craig. The adjutant is Captain W. Ivory and the instructor is Lieutenant C. p. J. Duff. The duties of camp regimental eergeant-major are carried out by Sergeantmajor F. Fieldsend and Sergeantmajor A. Williamson is camp quarter-master-sergeant. There are approximately 32 rion-commissioned officers. An inspection of the camp was made yesterday afternoon by Lieutenant-Colonel F. Symon, director of artillery at general headquarters, Wellington, accompanied by Lieutenant-Colonel I. T. Standish, assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general, Auckland. Colonel Symon inspected the battery on the parade ground and later he made a tc-ur of all the outposts, examining tlie guns and watching the men practising. He was then motored to the Narrow Neck camp, where the 6 pounders were in action throughout ihe afternoon. These guns were firing at a moving target in Rangitoto Channel. " They are a fine body of men and reflect great credit on the coastal division of the Royal New Zealand Artillery," said Colonel Symon after the inspection. He stated the all-round efficiency of the various detachments was of a particularly high standard. Although the working hours of the camp are long—from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.—the work is so interesting that many of the men look upon their sojourn in camp as a holiday. After reveille at 6 a.m. the men are given preliminary instruction at the batteries until breakfast, at 7.30. All de tachments are paraded at 8.30 and the day's work then begins iri earnest. Tn addition to. those manning the batteries there is a section of engine-drivers who operate the machines used to supply electric power for the searchlights. These searchlights will sweep the channel next Friday evening, when the first shooting practice on a large scale will be held. Other detachments are the Lewis gun sections, the signallers and telephone operators and the electric-light, section. The tents, about 50 in number, which adequately accommodate ail officers and men, stand on level ground at the foot of the hill near the parade ground. These are kept, scrupulously clean and are models of tidiness, competitions between the detachments being held to encourago neatness. The 6-inch battery detachment is at present leading in this contest. Another incentive to the men to perform their duties efficiently is the Hudson Cup, which is at present held by the 13th Coastal Battery. Most of the camp amusements nre provided by a division of the Y.M.C.A., ■which occupies a spacious building containing a billiard table, a cinematograph, a canteen conducted by the battery and a piano. On Sunday the camp chaplain, the Rev. Edward Barnes, officiated at a church parade, and over 400 visitors inspected the camp on Sunday af.ernoon, when music a* as provided by the Northern Command Artillery Band. Next Saturday an jtfier camp will be held for details, recruits and new " postings" from the senior cadets.