LESSONS OF THE WAR

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12393, 12 March 1926, Page 6

LESSONS OF THE WAR

NOCTURNAL BAHLE PRACTICE ESSENTIAL IN MILITARY TRAINING G.O.C.’S IMPRESSIONS (“Times” Special Representative.) TRENTHAM, March 11. “One of the greatest lessons which the authorities at- Home have learned from the war is that on account of the increased efficiency of the aeroplane, the infantry will have to move and firo by night. It will be found that the man who can successfully accomplish this will be the man who will get there, and the nation which is the most practised at this will be the nation which will come out on top, if we have another big conflict.” This observation was made by the G.0.C., New Zealand Forces (MajorGeneral Young) to-day, when discussing the results of the first night firing operations, and commenting upon the employment of battlefield manoeuvre? in New Zealand military training. OVER ANXIOUS The night firing last evening, he said, had been carried out as far as possible under service conditions, and was very dose to a ■ resemblance of the real thing. He had at first been somewhat afraid that the discipline of the Territorials had not quite reached that stage at which they could successfuljv carry out these manoeuvres under servioo conditions, hut he was immensely pleased with the results, the only perceptible errors being a tendency for the men to become over-anxious. In circumstances of this nature the Tisk would be intensified. On occasions the firers did not wait for the full effect of the flare, but dis-. charged their ammunitiqjn as soon as the flare went off, wasting the best period of the light. It was gratifying to observe, however, that every taTget was hit, this showing a healthy discrimination on the part of the men. It was far easier to register hits when all were concentrating upon one target than to fire for individual targets. • ENEMY LINE BROKEN The discipline of the Territorial force was improving beyond comprehension, but the difficulty was in keeping the men in the force. If they had no desire to remain they were lost to the army as soon as their few yeaTs’ training v. as finished, and unless they were °xtoptionally keen soldiers they would not stay. Unlike ordinary manoeuvres, in night firing the result depended largely upon the initiative of the junior officer or the section leader, for in his hands rested the whole responsibility of the movement. The value of this had been shown in the war, when the Hindenburg line had been broken o’vernight in one of the most meritorious pieces of work that t,he New Zealanders had performed during the whole campaign. HIGHER TRAINING The General was pleased that the experiment had been carried to such an extent here on its initial tests, and. next year it would be possible to carry out a small attack, and so gradually extend the manoeuvres. Like the authorities at Home, those in command here aimed at the higher training ot tho men. With the short training there was in many quarters a tendency to take things too lightly, and to consider the training as something in the nature of a joy ride. UTuers thought that all that was required was ‘to be able to form fours. This fallacv would he dispelled by the higher and more practical methods of training. ■ FUTURE PROSPECTS Colonel Burgess, chief executive officer at the camp, was immensely pleased with both tne night firing and the battle practice, and expressed the conviction that next year there would bo night firing with movement competition with the Hotchkiss and Lewis guns, and perhaps a small tactical scheme. The Vickers guns had engaged only ir. the elementary stages of night firing on aocount of the risk, and the delicacy of the adjustment, but an ad vance was expected to be made witli this next meeting. Tanks- and gas masks would also be utilised in manoeuvres next year if the material was available. Some of tho latest gas masks were being brought from Home, and it was almost certain that some of the matches at the next Army meeting would be fired with these on.