NAVAL AND MILITARY NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22051, 6 September 1933, Page 3

NAVAL AND MILITARY NOTES

FROM MESS DECK, PARADE GROUND, AND RIFLE RANGE By Bull's-eye. NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE NOTIFICATIONS. No. 62, Dated August 31, 1933 The appointment of Lieutenant-colonel C. E. Hercus, D. 5.0., 0.8. E., V.D., M.D., B.D.Sc. New Zealand Medical Corps, as assistant director of medical services, southern command, has been extended to August 9, 1934. Captain 11. G. M'Kinlay, Ist Battalion, Otago Regiment, has been transferred to the-reserve of officers, class I (b), R.D. 5. Dated August 4, 1933. OTAGO DIVISION R.N.V.R. (N.Z.D.). Parades Both sub-divisions will muster at 7.30 p.m. to-night. There will be no parade to-morrow, on the occasion of the Services Queen ball. Church Parade The division, in company with the 12th and 14th Batteries paraded in Lower Rattray street on Sunday at 1745. The parade was assembled in column and marched to First Church. The Rev. W. Allen Stevely, honorary chaplain to the Otago Division, preached on the need for training, taking as his text "Sell your coat and buy a sword. Annual Musketry Course The firing of the; annual musketry course will be commenced at the Pelichet Bay range at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Classification practices at 100, 200, and 300 yards will be fired. All ratings will note that they are obliged to fire these practices on' any of the following dates:— September 9, 16, or 23. At the conclusion the highest scorers will be eligible to fire off tor the Roberts Cup. Communication Branch The following ratings have qualified as ordinary telegraphists in the examination now completed:—O.S., E. T. Buskin, J. R. Bowler, R. Wheeler, J. W. Faulkner, J. W. Williamson, H. A. Gray, A. B Le Sueur, W. E. Lewis, and W. L. M'Do'ugall. These will continue training in wireless telegraphy with a view to qualifying for higher rating in this branch of communication. Training on the cruisers will be carried out to further the advancement to leading and petty officer telegraphists as opportunity ° fferß ' ARTILLERY NOTES. 12th Field Battery At the parade of the unit held on Wednesday, August 23, at Central Battery, there was a good attendance and some good drill performed. The battery staff carried out further classification work, and the remainder of the battery spent the first half of the period in subsection squad drill, and then for the second half the right section was instructed in gun drill, while the left section was given a talk on hew Zealand Regulations. Right section drivers • were instructed in parts of harness. The syllabus for the parade to-day mcorporatea drill with gas-masks, and should prove both interesting and instructive. 14th Medium Battery N.Z.A. The 14th Battery paraded at Central Battery on Monday evening when a good attendance was again recorded. For some time past the battery has been receiving instruction in various forms of training such as anti-gas drill, etc., but on the occasion of this parade the work took the form of the ordinary routine drill of the battery and so far as the gunners were concerned the evening was spent in standing gun-drill and fire discipline. The drivers continued their training in stable routine, the teams were hooked m and instruction was carried out in driving drill and manoeuvre. The battery staff -was instructed in procedure and transmission of signals and a study was also made of the new message form which has recently come into force. The Lewis-gun section is still carrying out steady training, the evening being spent in the engagement of targets of varying tactical natures. The unit will parade as usual next Mondayevening. GAZETTE OF THE 12th (FIELD) BATTERY, N.Z.A. An Editorial Note Writing in the current, number of the Gazette the editor (Captain J. F. G. Stark) says:— . " The current number of the Gazette marks the close of our first year's effort and the completion of volume I. It is felt that the occasion should not be allowed to rasa without some expression of appreciation of the work of the subscribers whose support has made the publication possible. The support of the members of the battery is understandable. The Gazette represents 'to them the monthly chronicle of doings in which they are themselves directly concerned. Even the support of past members of the unit is comprehensible, for they must look upon the unit as a link with the happy daya of yore. But we also number amongst our subscribers a little band of men who have no military connection, and while we are grateful alike to past and present members for their, practical assistance we are especially grateful to these latter. " We have now behind us a year's experience in the production of a paper of this type and we hope to profit thereby. It is intended during the coming year to improve the Gazette and widen its scope, particularly in the matter of military history. To carry out this programme effectively it will be necessary to increase the size of the paper. The Gazette is the oaly military paper of its kind in New Zealand and we feel it is obligatory upon us to use every endeavour to keep it at as high a standard as possible." OTAGO REGIMENT. A Company A Company paraded on Monday evening and continued instruction in antiaircraft protection and musketry. The company will parade at the Drill Hall, Kensington, next Monday for a lecture by the commanding officer, and not for a recreational parade-, as instructed. D (M.G.) Company Last week members of the Machine Gun Company were given instruction in the use of the various auxiliary instruments connected with • their work. The barforesight,, night-firing sights, and slide rule have now been studied, and a fuller understanding of their use will be manifest when indirect fire and night-firing is carried out. Transport Section The Transport Section, Otago Regiment, paraded at Central Battery on Tuesday evening, when limber drill with double teams was carried out. The section still requires six men to bring it up to full strength. LECTURE AT R.S.A. CLUB ROOMS. All Officers and N.C.O.'s Invited Mr C. E. Scott, who served throughout General Botha's campaign and in De Wet's rebellion in 1914-15, will deliver a lecture on " German South-West Africa" at the Returned Soldiers' Club rooms on Saturday evening next. An invitation has been extended to all offi- ! cers and n.c.o.'s in Dunedin to attend. SERVICES BALL. Arrangements Completed Considerable keenness is being shown by all ranks of the various naval and military units of the district in the arrangements for the services ball. It is many years since all services combined in such a function as this, and the combination in itself promises great success. The ball will take place on Thursday night, and the committee reports that all arrangements are complete. ___ RIFLE SHOOTING. Otago Rifle Association A report dated January 9, 1866, gives the following additional details of the O.R.A. prize-firing of that year:— " The shooting for the association's prizes was continued yesterday at the Kaikorai butts, the day being occupied with a single match, one section of the competitors commencing to fire at 5 o'clock

in the morning, and another at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The following are the scores: —

' "All-comers' Match.—Ranges 300, 500, and 600 yards; Wimbledon targets and scoring (1863); five rounds at each distance—3oo yards (standing), 500 yards and 600 yards (any position). Government long Enfield or Lancaster rifles. Pull of trigger not less than 61b. "Private W. P. Stevens (13, 16, 10), 39; Lieutenant M'Farland (16, 13, 10), 39; Sergeant Devore (10. 16, 13), 39; Hnsign Jamieson (14, 12, 9), 35; Corporal J. E. Stevens (12, 6, 15), 33; Gunner Blyth (9, 11, 13), 33; Private Hardy (12, 3, 11), 31; Gunner Orbell (12, 10, 8), 30; Private White (11. 8, 11), 30; Gunner Fisher (7, 13, 10), 30; Gunner. Pell (10, 11; 9), 30; Lieutenant Robertson (9, 12, !)) 30; Lieutenant Thomson (10, 11, 8), 29; Gunner W. D. Smith (11, 11, 7). 29; Sergeant Lindsay (10, 7, 12); 29; Private M'Laren (10, 9,9). 28); Sergeant J. E. Hannah (4, 16, 7), 27; Corporal Ticseder (12, 12 2), 26; Private A. Johnston (7, 10, 9), 26; Lieutenant Shnnd (10, 9,6), 25; Corporal Taylor (13, 5,7), 25; Private W. Lindsay (10, 12, 3). 25: Sergeant Robertson (10, 12. 3), 25; Lieutenant Davies (13, 11, retired); Gunner Glendining (12, 12, 0), 24; Corporal Fish (7, 11, 6), 24; Corporal Broad (11, 6, 6), 23; Gunner Marshall (12, 6. 5), 23; Gunner' Muir (12, 4,6), 22;. Private Geddes (8, 9, 5),'22: Gunner Carter (8, 9,4), 21; Captain Ross (8, 7,5), 20; Gunner Mander (7, 9, retired): Gunner Hume (8, 6. 2), 16; Private J. R. Thomson (7, 8, retired). " Range Prizes. —300 yards, Lieutenant M'Farland (artillery). 16; 500 yards. Sergeant Devore (artillery), Sergeant J. E. Hannah (artillery), Private W. F. Stevens (artillerv), all 16; 600 yards, Corporal J. E. Stevens (City Guards). 15. "Private W. F. Stevens, having made the greatest number of hits, is the winner of the first prize. "All the winners and ties at the kneeling ranpres, with the exception of Sergeant Hannah, who shot from the knee, adopted the lying-down position, and each shot with a long Enfield. Last year the winning score at these ranges was 36; this year there are three scores of 39. Tt is worthy of mention that Private W. F. Stevens used Eley's Enfield ammunition; the other competitors that of the Government.

"There is not to be any shooting today, and to-morrow the match will be confined to members of the association. The distances are to be 300 yards. 400 yards. 500 yards. Best total score, silver cup valued logns, presented by the Otago Dailv Times; second, £5; third, £4; fourth. £3; "fifth, £2; sixth, £l. The firing will commence at 5 a.m. and 2 p.m. "The match which stands as No. C in the list will come off on Thursday, instead of (as announced) on Friday, the latter day being devoted to the competition for the Government prizes."—(To be continued.) Class Firing The members of the Dunedin and Kiwi Defence Rifle Clubs are reminded that the annual Government practice will be commenced on Saturday at the lower range. Arrangements have been made to fire in conjunction with the Naval Reserve. Both clubs have now decided to make this course a service championship, the Dunedin Club having a silver cup as a prize and the Kiwi Club a shield. The Fcores over the two days will constitute the service aggregate. Just a Little History < The marksmen who congregate year by year at Bisley are devotees of the oldest sport in the world. So remote in the history of mankind are the beginnings of the game of shooting at a mark that we have only the hints of folklore, and the general love of all humanity for hitting something at a distance as evidence of the great antiquity of the sport. . _ The folklore of all nations is rich in references to superb marksmanship, particularly so in the legends of hunting and fighting peoples. Accuracy, long ranging, and rapidity of fire have been alike glorified, whether the marksman has used a smooth, pebble from a brook, arrows of surpassing virtue, or bullets bought from the devil. The oldest shooting club in existence is the Societe de l'Harquebuse of Geneva, the records of which go back for close on 600 years, and which, as early as 1474, was encouraging shooting with crossbow and firearms. Unfortunately, the now meagre records of those early days give few details of the competitions which took place. We do know that the champion was given the title of " king," and kingship shooting is still practised all over the world where those of Swiss or German descent have congregated. The kingship is usually accorded to the marksman who places a shot nearest the centre of the bull's-eye at - some short* range, such as 100 or 200 yards. The persistence of this method of deciding the championship seems good evidence of its 'extreme antiquity. Such a competition was held for many years at Wimbledon, hit the early days of the National Rifle Association, but has long been abandoned.