NAVAL AND MILITARY NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22211, 14 March 1934, Page 5

NAVAL AND MILITARY NOTES

FROM MESS DECK, PARADE GROUND, AND RIFLE RANGE

(By BuLii’s-EtE.)

NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE NOTIFICATIONS. No. 12, Dated February 28, 1934

Second-lieutenant I. W. Hardic, Otago Mounted Rifles, is transferred to the Reserve of Officers, Class 1 (b), R.D. 11. Dated February 19, 1934. Lieutenant M. D. Harvey, the Otago Regiment, to be captain. Dated August 23. 1933. No. 13, Dated March 8, 1934

The Governor-General (Lord Blediroej has been pleased to approve, under section 0 (a), Defence Act, 1909, that the designation of the/‘New Zealand Permanent Air Force ” be changed to “ Royal New Zealand Air Force.” Dated February 27, 1934. OTAGO DIVISION, R.N.V.R. (N.Z.D.). Weekly Parade*

The parades of both divisions were well attended last week, when classes were given instruction in seamanship, wireless telegraphy, and visual signalling. Communications Branch

Lieutenant R. T. Roberts has been appointed officer in charge of the communications branch, and with the assistance of Lieutenant J. H. Seelye, good work with excellent results is being carried out. Leading-signalmen L, J, Salter and L. J. Berryman were successful in a recent examination, to pass which they studied hard at headquarters. They are now rated Act. Yeoman of Signals.

Voluntary Training and Rifle Shooting

In addition to the regular weeklyparades on Wednesday and Thursday, Monday has been set aside for voluntary training and miniature rifle shooting. Petty-officer A. M. Finlayson w-as in charge of the range on Monday night, when a practice for the Palmer Cup match was held. Social and Dance

Petty officers and leading seamen of the division held a very successful social and dance at divisional headquarters recently.

ARTILLERY NOTES, 12th (Field) Battery, N.Z.A.

There have been no parades of the unit for the past three weeks, and the next will be at St. Hilda on April 4. The break will enable members to come back keen and fit, and a very comprehensive programme is being drawn up for the new training year. OTAGO REGIMENT. A Company

On the first parade since the annual camp, held in the Drill Hall, Kensington, last Monday, A Company spent the evening reviewing dress regulations with a view to smartening the appearance of the parades. All ranks are reminded that until further notice full battle order (haversack and water bottle) must be worn at each of the parades, which will be held every Monday evening. A committee consisting of one officer, one n.c.0., and one private soldier has been formed for the purpose of arranging some social functions to take place before the end of the training year. D CM.G.) Company

The Machine Gun Company resumed its weekly parade and training on Tuesday of last week. The evening was spent in unpacking the company’s equipment after its return from camp. This was thoroughly overhauled and returned to store. The second parade was held last evening.

AN APPEAL. Employer#' Support Asked For

When interviewed by a representative of the Christchurch Press, Major-genera! Sir William Sinclair-Burgess, general officer commanding the New Zealand Military Forces, stressed the urgent need today for the loyal support of employers for territorial military training being Mrried out under the present system of

voluntary enlistment of recruits. He hinted that certain improvements in present methods of organising military training would shortly be introduced. The general had carried out an inspection of First Battalion, Canterbury Regiment, during its annual camp at Glentunriel, and had watched it at manoeuvres just prior to being interviewed. In recent months he has made 38 inspections of territorial units in training throughout the North Island, and part of the South Island, and it was in the, light of inquiries he had made and information received that he made his observations. He wished them to be applied to training as a whole in the Dominion.

He said that the work of both officers and men was highly creditable, especially when the difficulties under which presentday training had to be carried out were taken into account. The main disappointment was that attendances at camps in some instances did not represent the full strength of units. While fully realising the seriousness of the difficult time being experienced by employers generally, he thought that a special effort should be made by them to place no hindrance in the way of men wishing to attend annual canips. Instances of such hindrances were fortunately not very common Of course, many employees considered it unfair to ask employers for time off to attend camp. That was another aspect which he hoped would be removed with the return of more prosperous times. The Territorial Force in New- Zealand, maintained by voluntary recruiting, was the only army in' the Dominion, the general explained. He considered full recognition of that should induce, loyal and patriotic support for the force. It was a definite handicap to the work of officers to-day that training could not be progressive and collective because absence from camps or the continual recruiting of untrained men forced training to be largely elementary only, in order that it could remain at least partly collective and not merely individual. 'He considered that many present-day difficulties would disappear with the return of nrosnerity. Referring to the immediate. Sir William added that he hoped that changes would mean definite improvements in the present system of training. He was unable vet to -particularise, he concluded, but ono thing he -would indicate, —it was hoped that provision would be made in the coming year for greater recognition of the services of officers and men carrying on voluntary training.

RIFLE-SHOOTING Otago Rifle Association

The sixth match of the 1867 prize firing xvas competed for on Monday morning, February 5, and was the second stage for the Association Cup, valued at 15 guineas. The match was open to all competitors in the first stage who had made 30 points and over, and was shot under the following conditions: —Ranges, 700, 800 and 900 yards; seven shots at each distance; Wimbledon targets and scoring; any position, Government rifles. The shooting was much better than formerly. At 700 yards Corporal Christie made 26 out of 28. Private Stevens was in the lead at 800 yards with 21; while at 900 yards Lieutenant Davies w-as highest scorer with 21. The winner of the cup was Private Stevens (who won the association’s medal the previous year) with a total of 55, the next being Sergeant Taylor, who also scored 55 but had a “miss” more than Stevens: the third being Captain M'Farland, 53: fourth. Lieutenant Stavely, 53: fifth, Corporal Christie, 52; and the sixth. Corporal Treseder, 50. The following are the scores;—Private Stevens 55, Corporal Taylor 55, Captain M'Fnrlnnd 53, Lieutenant Stavely 53, Corporal Christie 51; Corporal Treseder 50. Gunner Hardy 44, Gunner Muir 44. Private R. Christie 44; Lieutenant Davies 43. Cornoral Bread 43. Private W. Christie 43. Ensign Wales 42, Corporal Stalker 40. Sergeant Douglas 38, Lieutenant Shand 36, Gunner Blyth 34. Private Lacy 34. Captain Borton 30. Lieutenant Robertson 30. Private Dalziel 28, Corporal Robertson 22, Lieutenant Hannah, Gunner Smith. Gunner Brown, and Private Key retired prior to 900 varde. Match No. 7 was fired at 200 and 500 yards, and was for a eup presented by the proprietors of the Evening Star. Seven shots were fired at each range in the Hvthe position. Th- shooting was very good, the highest score being 47. made by Corporal Stalker, his total being five over “centres.” Second prize of £4 was won by Cornoral Treseder, third f£3) by Private Wilson: fourth and fifth prizes (£2 and, £1) were a tie between Lieutenant Shand and Sergeant Taylor; while fhe sixth and seventh nrizes {CI each) resulted in a fie between Lieutenant Hannah, Gunner Muir, and Private W. Christie. The highest score at 200 yards (22) was made by Stalker, Muir, D.

Christie, Stevens, and Robertson, while the first-named was in the lead at 500 yards with 25. The following are the scores:—Corporal Stalker 47, Corporal Treseder 44, Private Wilson 43, Sergeant Taylor 42, lieutenant W. Shand 42, Lieutenant Hannah 41, Private W. L. Christie 41, Gunner Muir 41, Sergeant Douglas 40, Ensign Wales 40, Sergeant Lindsay 40, Corporal D. Christie 39, Private Stevens 39, Lieutenant Stavely 39, Private Dalziel S 9, Gunner Ogilvie 38, Private J. Christie 38, Gunner Moodie 38, Gunner Blyth 38. Private Key 37, Private Robertson 37, Private R. L. Christie 36, Gunner Smith 36, Gunner Hardy 36, Lieutenant Davies 35, Private Lacy 35, Lieutenant T. Shand 34, Lieutenant Robertson 34, Corporal Broad 33, Corporal Robertson 33, Gunner Brown 32, Sergeant Hislop 31, Bugler Statham 30, Captain Bordon 29, Gunner Miller 28, Private M'Kenzie 24, Corporal M'Gregor 18, Corporal Sly 14. — (To be continued.) Aimed at Bull and Hit Magpie

It is a rule in rifle shooting on the butts that, so long as the man behind the gun keeps the bullet on the “bull,” he keeps going. Thus a man who enters a competition for seven shots at 700 yards might fire 37 bullets provided he remained on the little black centre all the time. Most riflemen assume a shocked air when they fail in their objective, and tor supreme cpnfidence in one’s own ability the following will take some beating;— On the second day of the N.R.A. meeting, held recently at Anzac range, Sydney, Cecil Morris, of Goulburn, and J; Lewis, of Queanbeyan, ran up 27 consecutive “ bulls ” in the “ Mark Foy ” shoot. Competition was set down for 10 shots at 300 yards, and one competitor who tad purchased his 10 rounds prior to going on the mound was dismayed to find that Morris was at that time on his eleventh bull, and thus 10 rounds were useless. 1 The champion-to-be hiked it back to the “ ammunition van” and procured another round, but returned once more to find Morris firing at his twenty-second bull, ,He returned once more for further supplies, and had the satisfaction later of seeing his opponent fall by the wayside at his twentyeighth effort. Then our hero went down to show' what could be done. First shot was an “ inner,” and so was the second, but, as these were only “ sighters,” it mattered not. Now came the first “business,” and all eyes were on the man with his finger on the trigger. Off she went, and up went the result —a “magpie! ” “ Diamond Jubilee Programme 11

The programme of the sixtieth annua] prize-firing of the Otago Rifle Association is just to hand, and is a well-got-up production. This year the total prize money offered is £27o,.including 87 tyro and junior prizes. There are seven matches in all (two each at 300 yards, 500 yards, and COO yards, and one at 300 yards and 500 yards on Monday morning, April 2). Each day (Good Friday and Saturday) there is an optional aggregate, based on 100 entries, consisting of 15 prizes of a total value of £7 10s. The usual last-try match (prizes proportionate with entry) is again included in the programme, the score in match No. C to count. A novel addition is the Pairs Aggregate over matches 1 to 7, whereby a competitor may pair with another, and the highest dual aggregates to be the winners. Prizes are also proportionate with entry. A gold medal donated again by Major P. Mackenzie, is to go to the holder of the highest aggregate over the two shoots at 600 yards (matches 3 and 6). Another addition is a five guinea prize, donated .by Colonel E. R. Smith (president of the Otago Rifle Association). which is a handicap event. The highest aggregates in matches 1 to 7, plus handicap, wilt be declared the winners. Extra money has been added to the individual matches, also the Championship Aggregate. Each match contains 35 prizes totalling £24. First prize in the championship includes a silver cup and medal (donated by Colonel E. R. Smith) and £6; second, £5; third, £3; fourth, £2; fifth, £1; sixth, £1; four prizes at 15s each; 16 prizes at 10s. Total, 26 prizes of a total value of £29. It will be noticed that there is no service match this year, owing to the fact that the Otago Rifle Association are supplying the very latest ammunition — 10133 Mark VII cordite. This ammunition has been purchased privately. All competitors will welcome this fact.. A much-discussed and ever-recurring guestion is being given a trial this year in the matter of one man one. target all through the championship series.