VETERANS TRAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23708, 15 July 1940, Page 9

VETERANS TRAIN

BATTALION AT ERSOM DISTINCTIVE FORCE MARK OF EXPERIENCE The Auckland Battalion, National Military Reserve, devoted the week-end to training at the Epsom trotting course, which was vacated for the day and a-half by 'the Auckland Territorial Battalion. Simultaneously two platoons of the ex-service unit trained at Papatoetoe. The old soldiers, wearing the artillery bandolier and a leather belt, lack the steel-spring type of fitness of tho men training *for service overseas at Papakura and the youthful zest of tho men of the Territorial Battalion, but in spite of the toll of the years in spite of tho unfamiliarity with the new drill, they possess a something all their own. • Matter-01-Fact Men They arc very matter of fact about their work; indeed., the general demeanour suggests the reason why the New Zcalanders of the last war were called "The Silent Division." To them the job is just plain duty, without any glamour aboi'it it. There goes a soldier who served in the Guards. That sergeant who knows his drill so well is ex-Royal Navy. Another served in the Royal Marines. That man in the signal section served not only in the King's ships but also temporarily in a Japanese warship. One saw ail officer who began his military career at a very young age in an Australian unit and afterward had commissioned rank in two English regiments. A surprising variety of badges is to be seen and it would be greater if all men had retained the badges tliev wore in 191-1-18. No Fatigue Party Lacking at the moment the regulation kit of th' 6 day, some officers wore riding pants and leggings or long boots with spurs. "And maybe there will be a job for the horse yet," remarked an old mounted rifleman. A quartermaster-sergeant was seen Trashing cups in person. He had some eager Boy Scouts to help, but no fatigue party. . The battalion did a thorough and ■varied job of work on Saturday afternoon and Sunday and, incidentally, most of the men, though tired, felt much better for it. "Just two smokos apart from lunch hour." said 'an officer. "It is a very beneficial discipline to a constant smoker."

EGYPTIAN AIR-RAID REACTION OF TROOPS NEW ZEALANDER'S LETTER EXPERIENCE IN CAIRO A description of the New Zealanders' first air-raid experience in Egypt is contained in a letter from a battery sergeant-major. "In the wee small hours of yesterday," he said, writing on June 23,' "the air alarm sounded, the first one since Italy entered the war and the first one we have not known to be a practice. "The gas sentries and gas-decontam-ination personel doubled off to their posts, the anti-aircraft detachments stood-to; at their stations, and other specialists went about their jobs, all •with apparent unconcern, but all feeling that mild electric sensation and a curious tenseness—this, at last, might be the rea.l .thing. "It was a beautiful moonlit night, still and clear, warm, with scarcely a whisper of breeze. • Where wo are camped, fairly high, we command a view of miles of the Nile Valley, even as far as the outskirts of Cairo, but in all that area there was not a light to be seen —except, of course, those long slender finders of white from the searchlights, seeking to and fro to capture those things that whirled high in the pale western sky. "Suddenly a silver moth appeared in one beam, and in the twinkling of an eye the rays converged and held their prisoner, first one and then another. The anti-airbraft batteries roared from their several; sites and shells exploded in the wake of the aeroplanes, like skyrockets on Guy Fawkes night, the flashes approaching nearer and nearer to the illuminated victim.

_ "Then, just- as suddenly, there was silence, except tlie drone of the machines receding. The searchlights extinguished simultaneously. This was an incomprehensible method of fighting, we thought. Next day we learned that some of our own fighter aeroplanes had taken the air and, possibly through over-anxiety, had received the attention of the Egyptian anti-aircraft batteries.

"During the evening of the same day there was another alarm. I happened to be in' Cairo. There was a marked difference in reaction. In camp, the alarm was received in absolute quietness. In Cairo,-although lights were put out and traffic ceased, there was hubbub, a veritable babel. A friend of mine who was having a shave was left flat, one half of his face still lathered, ■while the barber left the shop and dashed for shelter."

NORTHLAND ENLISTMENTS 609 AVAILABLE FOR CAMP [from our own correspondent] WHAXGAHEI, Sunday With 326/ enlistments, 101 Europeans and 22 Maoris, during the past week, thi-' total number of recruits in North Auckland has now reached 3322, 2300 Europeans and 1022 Maoris. Europeans available for camp number 389, while 142 fit men,' are not immediately available and 84 men have yet to be medically examined. Among the Maori recruits, 120 are ready for camp and 35 are awaiting medical examination. INTEREST-FREE LOANS TOTAL NOW £2,352,957 [bt telegraph—press association] ' WELLINGTON*. Saturday Interest-free loans and donations now total £2,352,957.