DEFENCE TRAINING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22966, 18 February 1938, Page 10

DEFENCE TRAINING

INFANTRY MANOEUVRES SECOND BATTALION PLANS OPERATIONS NEAR NAPIER [by telegraph OWN correspondent] HASTINGS. Thursday Infantry manoeuvres on a large scale will be carried out by the Second Composite Infantry Battalion in its camp at the Tomoana showgrounds, Hastings, which commences on Saturday, February 26. The main tactical operation will be repulsing an imaginary landing on the beach south of Napier, in which the wholo battalion will take part, with the aid of observing aeroplanes and mechanical transport. It is anticipated that there will bo about 250 men in camp from Hawke's Bay, East Coast and Taranaki. An advance party has been at work at the site erecting the camp. The work will be completed by Saturday, when eight officers and about 35 other ranks will assemble for a course in infantry training. Major L. Potter, from the Central Military School, will also conduct a course in tactics for officers. The troops are to assemble at the camp <Jn Saturday, February 26, and the camp will continue until March 4.

The camp will be the first since the Taranaki, Wellington, West Coast and Hawke's Bay regiments were combined under the new defence scheme announced some months ago to form the Second Composite Infantrv Battalion. The camp will be completely motorised to allow speed and efficiency in moving about the country for manoeuvres far afield. A radio telegraph service will be in use. The conditions will be made as nearly approximating service conditions as possible to give the newlyformed battalion a thorough testing and training. The officer commanding will be Lieutenant-Colonel F. S. Varnham, of New Plymouth, formerly officer-com-manding the Taranaki Regiment, and the adjutant will be Captain G. M. McCaskill, N.Z.S.C., of Napier.