GOOD SHOOTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24243, 8 April 1942, Page 2

GOOD SHOOTING

NEW ZEALAND ARTILLERY DEMONSTRATION IN SYRIA (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service) BEIRUT, April 5 Spectacular and highly accurate shooting by gunners of one New Zealand artillery regiment, together with a troop of anti-tank guns, was watched this week by senior officers of the Free French Legion. After building up a grand reputation for speed in getting on to their targets, and accuracy in laying, during the Libyan campaign, the New Zealanders have been praised frequently by Army authorities in the Middle East. The senior Free French officers had asked that a demonstration shoot be arranged. Before the start mechanical mustering was done by the transport of a field regiment. Three staff cars and one truck rounded up thousands of sheep, goats, mules and donkeys and drove them from the target area. The first target of the 25-pounder guns was an imaginary concentration of enemy transport, represented by a series of oil drums. One troop of guns first laid a smokescreen over, the target, and this was followed by a concentration of 24 guns firing on the target. Under cover of the smokescreen and the dust created by the fast-landing shells imaginary British tanks moved up to attack the enemy. Similar methods were used in a demonstration of anti-tank two-pounders. A target the size of a German light tank, tied behind a lorry, was riddled. A British senior officer* and the French area commander said the demonstration of the capabilities of the field artillery was the finest they had ever seen.