ALBANY ATTACKED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22100, 4 May 1935, Page 15

ALBANY ATTACKED

MILITARY MANOEUVRES TWO BRIDGES DEMOLISHED SUCCESSFUL LIGHTNING RAID NORTH ~ AUCKLAND REGIMENT Military manoeuvres based on the defence of lines of communication ftave the North Auckland Regiment, at present undergoing training at Narrow Neck camp, an interesting experience yesterday' of operations more or less under service conditions. A small but keen body of officers and cadets from Takapuna Grammar School formed an attacking force. Thanks to the happy procedure on these occasions, when one man may represent a company, a motor, an, armoured car, and a rifle, something much more potent, the raiders were able to make a brief but destructive visit to the main northern road, leaving two demolished bridges and a defending force cut off from supplies for a long period.

of Silverdak was depending on a battalion, represented by 250 men of the North Auckland Regiment, to defend its lines of communication as far back as Albany, inclusive. The task of this unit was to guard against possible raids by a northern enemy, and, to e:ifect this, all strategic roads were protected by anti-tank guns, machine-guns and bodies of troops. With no side-roads from the east on the nine miles occupied by tho defenders they were able to concentrate entirely on those from the west. , Strength o:l Attacking Force In order to deal with any emergency a mobile force, with motor-bus transport, was Eitationed at headquarters, about three miles north of Albany, beyond the prominent trig station at Pukeatua. Communications with outposts were established by visual signals and,, in addition, the defenders had the advantage of the services of an aeroplane, which maintained two-way communication by wireless with head-

quarters. The attacking troops consisted of a skeleton foice, representing four platoons, with motor transport, aided by two armoured cars, represented by motors, wrkh white sheets on their roofs, to aid in identification from the air. Under the scheme tfie umpire allowed 10 minutes' occupation of any poiijt raided as indicative of success. All troops wgre taken to the scene of operations Iby motor-bus and lorry and zero hour was fixed at 10.30. Heavy squalls made conditions unpleasant at times and signalling difficuJt. The Objective ."Reached With a- choice of a number of roads" the attacking force chose the southernmost one a,nd, in doing so, wore able to avoid the fire of an anti-tank detachment, which would normally have held them up in time for defending troops to be rushed to the danger point. As It was, the only obstacle encountered was a, sandbag barricade,, but the raidem, boing vastly superior in strength to the occupants, after a short delay were; able to reach the »iain roEid opposite the Albany hotel. Here the armoured cars turned, one in each direction, io cover the work of demolition. The infantry were then deployed to conduct their attack and to ensure a safe retirement.

The operations were conducted speedily and before the mobile force ooukl be brought to the scene the required 10 minutes; passed, and the, detonation of a slab of gun-cotton demoted the blowinj2; up of both Albany bridges, and the raiding party was free to make its escape. ; A tactical scheme arranged for the afternoon was abandoned, owing to the weather, '.['he North Auckland Regiment was under the command of Lieu-tenant-Colonel S. C. White, with Lieutenant G r H. Wooller, N.Z.S.C., as adjutant, while the attacking force was commanded by Captain F. J. Gwilliam. Lieutenant-Colonel R. Miles, General Staff Officer, Northern Command, acted as chief umpire. TRAINING AT WHANGAR'EI MOUNTED RIFLES REGIMENT [raoir OTJE owx corresfondot] ' WHANGAREI, Fiiday The North Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment to the number of 275 of all ranks is in. (jamp at Kensington Park for the annual nine days consolidated training. Lieutenant-Colonel W. R. Lang is in command. Training commenced yesterday with individual duties, but the regimental training will not commence until next week.

On Monday, in honour of the King's jubilee, the training programme will be replaced by a ceremonial parade. An inspection of the regiment will be made by Colonel J. N. McCarroll, D.S.O'., who commander! the regiment in the Great War. On Wednesday tactical exercises will be carried out' in the protection of lines of communication between Kamo and Hikurangi.