NAVAL AND MILITARY NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22069, 27 September 1933, Page 12

NAVAL AND MILITARY NOTES

FROM MESS DECK, PARADE GROUND, AND RIFLE RANGE By Bdix'b-eye. NEWS FROM OVERSEAS. Promotions Lieutenant R. J. H. Ryan, R.N., advanced torpedo officer, at present lent to the New Zealand Division, has been promoted lieutenant-commander. He is one of 10 R.N. lieutenants due for promotion on attaining eight and all 10 are specialists. The other nine are:—Lieutenants E. H. P. Slessor and M. H. C. Young, who are observers in the Fleet Air Arm, the former an interpreter in' French and Spanish, and the latter having qualified in meteorology ; Lieutenant C. R. V. Push, an air pilot, holding the rank of flight lieutenant, R.A.F.; Lieutenants G. M. R. Fuller, A. L. Owen, D. L, Johnston, find tl. Osrvald. eunnerv lieutenants; Lieutenant A. R. Miirray-Smith, advanced gunnery qualification; Lieutenant in addition, a French interpreter: Lieutenant G. Cobbe. advanced navigation specialist and interpreter in Portuguese, Service Personals Commander R. K. Dickson. R.N., who served in the Veronica, has taken up duty as naval assistant to the First Sea Lord (Admiral Sir Ernie Chatfield), in succession to Commander J. W. RivettCarnac, D.S.C. Promoted in the New Year list, he was formerly squadron navigator in the Second Battle,. Squadron, Home Fleet. He was one of the Osboine term entered in January, 1911, which went straight to sea from Dartmout College when the fleet was mobilised, and he served throughout the war. Previous to his appointment to N . ew nd As specialised in navigation in 1920-21. as a staff officer, he has been S.O. (operations) in the Third Cruiser andl Third Battle 1 Squadrons. Commander Dickson is a winner- of the Shadwell prize Tor the most creditable plan of an anchorage, accompanied with sailing directions executed by himself. OTAGO DIVISION R.N.V.R. (N.Z.D.K Parades . Subdivisions 1 and 2 will hold their weeldy parades at divisional headquarters on Thursday and Wednesday respectively. Musketry Course The firing of the annual musketry course was completed at Pelichet Bay range on Saturday last. Leading, Telegraphist R. Wheeler was successful in winning the Robert’s Cup. - , Miniature Shooting Miniature rifle shooting continues at the range at headquarters, Tewsl ey street. Commodore's Inspection The Otago Division R.N.V.R will be inspected at .Logan Park on oc toh e r l 4 by the commodore commanding the New Zealand Station. The commodore will also inspect both sub-divisions during class instruction at the evening parades on October 14 and 18. These ..paradesrare being held in order to coincide with the commodore’s movements. . , THE OTAGO MOUNTED RIFLES. Outram and Waikouaiti Troops The Outrairi and Waikouaiti troops both . contemplate holding; - week-end bivouacs, the; former during November, The Outram troop parades once a fortnight and the Waikouaiti has also commenced evening drills. ARTILLERY NOTES. 12th Field Battery On Wednesday last a good attendance of the unit was inspected by Colonel b. G ScOullar. The battery then carried out some particularly govd battery foot drill, a feature of artillery training which is frequently disregarded. It should not be overlooked that a unit is judged by its appearance ou parade, and that good foot drill means good appearance and consequent comment. . ’! ~ The parade will be held to-night at tral Battery and a further advance will be made in the year’s training. , 14th Medium Battery, N.Z.A. The battery held its weekly at Central Battery. St. Kilda, on Monday evening, when there was a good attendance of ajljranks. _ , - , Gun drill and fire discipline formed the. principal part of the gunners’ traming i for the evening, while the drivers were instructed in stable routine, animal management, and care of harness, etc., the standard of the work being highly satisfactory. ... . . : - The battery staff is continuing the study of procedure and, transmission of signals, together with topographical work and map reading in preparation for the forthcoming annual qualification tests and the standard of efficiency attained in this particular section of the unit is very high.: The Lewis gun section is carrying out steady training and having a thorough knowledge of the _ mechanical construction, of the weapon with which it is armed is now concentrating on the engagement of targets and various tactical natures. ,■ t There is still vacancies in the battery’s strength, and any men who desire to join the unit should communicate with the Adjutant, at Central Battery, St. Kilda when full particulars regarding term of enlistment, etc., will be' supplied. The weekly parade of the unit will be held on Monday evening. OTAGO REGIMENT. A Company I A very successful recreational parade was held by A Company at the Drill Hall on Monday evening. On Saturday next and the following Saturday the company will parade at. Pelichet Bay range at 1.30 p.m. for Lewis gun instructional practice. Belts and side-arms will be worn, rifles will not be carried. On Wednesday evening No. 3 platoon will parade at the Drill Hall to prepare for this practice. 1933 CAMPS. Dates and Sites Decided On The following units will undergo field training in the Otago district during 1933:

Sixteenth Battery (Christchurch), at Sutton, January 16-23; 9th Battery (Christchurch), at Sutton, January 23-30; 12th Battery (Dunedin), at Sutton, February 3-10; 14th Battery (Dunedin) at Sutton, February 17-24; Ist Otago, Ist Southland, and Otago Medical Company, at Waikouaiti, February 25-March 2. , This is the first occasion on which a combined infantry camp has been held since 1929, when Ist Otago and Ist South* land, accompanied by 16th Pack Battery' (Christchurch) combined at Waianakarua. ■' v Previous to that a brigade went under canvas at Sutton just prior to the Great War; OTAGO OFFICERS’ CLUB. Forthcoming Lectures _ Lieutenant-colonel S. G. Secular will deliver a lecture to club members on technical development oL artillery at an early date, and Captain M. E. Johnson will speak on the 3rd Battle of Gaza later, when he will deal fully with the tactical side of that operation. N.C.O.’S CLUB. Annual Meeting The annual meeting of the N.C.O.’s Club was held in the club rooms, Drill Hall, on Monday evening, about 40 n.clo.’s being present. Colonel A. S. Falconer, M.C., D. 5.0., and Captain S. M. Satterthwaite were also present. After some general discussion the following office-bearers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, Sergeant-major W. B. Perrin (-0.M.R.); vice-president, Sergeant Trail (0.R.); secretary and treasurer, Sergeant-major Clem Beck (0.R.); committee —Sergeant Moir (0.M.R.), Ser-geant-major Williams (0.R.), Corporal Scollay (0.R.), Sergeant Pollock (0.R.), Quartermaster M'Callion and Corporal Johnson (O.M;R.).- ; . Judging from the enthusiasm displayed by. those present a successful year may be anticipated.- It was decided to hold a social evening in the near future. RIFLE SHOOTING. . Otago Rifle Association A report dated January 13, 1866, gives additional particulars relating to the prize firing of the O.R.A. On the previous day (12th) the competition was for the Government prizes for rifle shooting, and the following illustrates the process of determining the provincial and New Zealand championships, It will be noticed that aj great deal of encouragement was given to riflemen in those days, -presumably in view of the fact that the Natives Were not so law-abiding as they are now; The Maori War taught the pakeha that first-class marksmen were a decided asset to the colony, and the Government of. the day were not stow to recognise this. Appended is a report of the shooting, also the scores of the competitors “The firing for the prizes offered by the General Government was continued yesterday at the Kaikorai butts. The prizes were open to Volunteers and Militiamen, without restriction. Here in Otago,'if not. in . the Middle Island generally," we believe that the : Volunteers would bavc been glad had there been some, regulation prescribing a certain proficiency, dr at least a certain amount of musketry drill, as a condition precedent to: competing-; but the regulations as drawn up are understood to have met the wishes of, the authorities in the North Island, where musketry instruction has not been quite so sedulously pursued. For the purposes of the competition the colbny was divided into districts, not to exceed 2S in all, and, no district-was entitled to enter the lists unless jt could, muster at least 20 competitors. Otago, and; Canter: bury are each nominally divided into two districts, and Southland formed one. : For "'•each'"-'district -the ■ Government offered the following prizes:—First £lO, second £7 10s, third £5. fourth £3. The . ranges are 300. 400.. and 500. yards. . o\. “It is provided that, after the settlement of the district prizes, the 20 highest sebrers in each district, shall again compete at 400 yards. 500 yards, and 600 yards, and the,.highest in each shall be entitled, as the ‘ representative man , of his district, to proceed to Wellington to compete there for the following prizes, the ranges being still 400 yards, 500 yards, and 600 yards.—First prize, the champion belt of New Zealand and £100: second, the colonial medal of the N'.R.A, and £75;, third, £SO; fourth, £3O; filth. £2O. “The passage of representative man*, to and from Wellington is to be paid, and an allowance of 10s a day during the whole time is to be, made. This is. a very liberal and stimulating plan for encouraging proficiency in the .use or the rifle, and it As fo be hoped that it will be continued, and that some modification of the regulations, such as has been suggested, will be made next year. It Would also be an excellent thing it it was provided that the competitions of the ‘representative, men should taKe place in the different provinces in rotation, or, at least, that the principal provinces. should have the tha ■ would result from this yearly feathering in its . midst of the pick of the colonial ■; Tbis province not being fairly divisible into two for the, purposes, of firing fpr ; the district prizes, it was left x to Major Cargill to make such arrangements nswould be most convenient to the companies sending competitors. we 600 in number; some companies (Oamaru and others) not having yet received their rifles. The following is the complete-score : of -‘‘^enerai y Gov h e.rrime^ 500 yards. Hythe ppsiition at the first two any position at the third, uo eminent long or medium . Enfield. ° ts the breach-loading carbine, live shots at “G C inner g Muir 52, Sergeant,.Hannah 43 Corporal Broad 44, Gunneu Fisher 49, Gunner P Smith 36, Gunner Glendining 46, Private Slv 11, Private Livingstone 15. Corporal Stevens 35, Lieutenant Dav. B 4 . Private Skay 29. Private Stoker 42, Pr - vate Dalziel 50, Private Jenkins 29,. -.rti vate Wilson 37, Ensign Wales 46, Private Nichol 33, Private Lacy Lmuienant Murray 28,. Sergeant vate M'Liskey 14,Corporal f Mdrshall 27, Private Hepburn 39, Private Fairly 23, Pr vate Treseder 37, Sergeant; Douglas 45, Private D. Millar 42 Private W. Cossar 37, Corporal Fountain 23, Ser ceant Bair 36, Captain Ross 28, Captain Borton 44, Lieutenant M Farland 41, Lieutenant Robertson 51. Serpant Devore 44, Sergeant Andrew 36, Major Cargill 34 Private Thompson 26. Gunner .Dal-, gleish 34. Private Lanzell 23 Private Geddes 30, Private Statham 40, Gunnei Peel 42, Gunner Orbell 32, Sergeant Hislop 37; Sergeant Boys 33. Corporal Fish 22 Gunner Garrick 32. Gunner M Farland 36. Gunner Mills 29. “The firing will be continued next week o,rP some day to be made known. (To be continued.! Local Notes

Although a start was made on Saturday afternoon by the £iwi members with the first competition of the Presidents Match, the heavy rain later in. the day dispelled any hope of continuing. - In view of the circumstances it was decided to abandon the shooting, and a fresh start will be made next Saturday.. Some good 300 yards scores were thus notably by Riflemen H. Boyer (48), 11. Whitehead (46), and W. Morton (45). The members of the Dunedin Club took the opportunity on the lovyer range to finalise their service championship. Ihe writer is riot in possession of any details at present so will reserve results for next week’s notes. . • , It is learned that the Dunedin Club will commence their first match on the hill range next Saturday.