DEFENCE MANOEUVRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20482, 6 February 1930, Page 13

DEFENCE MANOEUVRES.

NAVAL RAID ON COAST.

SURPRISE ELEMENT PRESERVED.

EXERCISE FOR TERRITORIALS. The surprise element is to be the feature of tactical operations to bo carried out next week by the First Battalion, Auckland Regiment, in conjunction with officers and ratings of the training ship H.M.S. Philomel. Unlike previous exercises, where the opposing sides have been made cognisant of the greater part of each other's intentions and plans, all the. defenders will know is that a raid is to be made on one of the beaches some time in the early hours of the morning, the landing force being ignorant of the plans of the. defence beyond the bare fact that (hey may expect resistance shortly after they come ashore. The general scheme supposes that the enemy, Blue, has defeated the New Zealand Na\'y, which has retired on Wellington, and that the defence of Auckland rests on the Northern Brigade group, comprising the infantry, mounted rifles and artillery brigades, with engineers, signallers, Army Service Corps and ambulances. Of these troops, the first to be mobilised is the First Battalion, Auckland Regiment, which is encamped at Narrow Neck. At midnight on February 12-13, advice is received that two enemy cruisers have left the Great Barrier, and the battalion is ordered to hold itself in readiness to proceed in motor-buses to any part of the coast between Whangaparaoa and Auckland. It will be supposed, also, that the coast is being watched by motor-boat patrols and by signal stations at Red Bluff, Toroa Point, and Trig 571, on Whangaparaoa peninsula

Tha attackers from the Philomel will be reinforced by a platoon from the battalion. Arrangements are being made for the transport of the raiders to the landing beach in private craft.

A REFRESHER COURSE. CAMP AT NARROW NECK. A three days' refresher course for officers and non-commissioned officers of the battalion was commenced at Narrow Neck yesterday, when 32 officers and 240 non-commissioned officers and men entered camp In addition there are a number of University and other students who do not attend night parades. The camp is under the command of Lieut.Colonel T. H. Dawson, C.M.G., C.B.E. The annual camp of the battalion will commence on Saturday next, when an additional 250 non-commissioned officers and men will enter camp for a week. The course of instruction will include physical drill on the beach each morning, followed by a swim before the day's training commences. Inter-company sports and other competitions, for which there are several fine cups and trophies, will be held on Friday, February 14, and ihe competitions will be followed by a concert at the camp in the evening. Sunday will bo visiting day, and in the afternoon the camp will be open to friends of the men. *"