NAVAL AND MILITARY NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22365, 12 September 1934, Page 13

NAVAL AND MILITARY NOTES

FROM MESS DECK, PARADE GROUND, AND RIFLE RANGE

(By Bull’s-eve.) NEWS FROM OVERSEAS. Command of the Royal Yachts The Kins has approved (says our London correspondent, writing on August 4) the appointment of Rear-admiral Dudley North. C. 5.1., C.M.G., C.V.0., to be rearadmiral commanding H.M. yachts. Admiral North will succeed Admiral the Hon. Sir Herbert Mcade-Fetherston-haugh, K.C.V.0., C. 8., D. 5.0., A.D.C., and his appointment will date from December 15 next. As extra equerry to the Prince of Wales, whom he has accompanied on his various Empire and foreign tours, Rear-admiral North was formerly chief of staff in the home fleet. He was promoted to flag rank in July, 1932, after being Director of the Operations Division of the naval staff. To the Retired List Captain C. B. Prickett, A.D.C., to be rear-admiral (August 2), and on the retired list (August 3). This officer has been 37 years in the service. He is a gunnery specialist, and has served ,on the Ordnance Committee of the services at Woolwich. Since his return from New Zealand in 1929, Rear-admiral Prickett has been flag captain in the Second Cruiser Squadron, Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence, first commanding officer of the new cruiser Norfolk, and flag captain in the Reserve Fleet, where he was relieved in April last. OTAGO DIVISION, R.N.V.R. (N.Z.D.) Evening Parades The evening parades of both subdivisions were well attended last week, when instruction’ was given in gunnery, seamanship, rifle drill, mine sweeping, wireless, and signals. The sub-divisions will parade this week as usual, and instruction in classes will be carried out according to syllabus. Miniature Rifle Shooting Last week a R.N.V.R. miniature rifle team met a team from the Legion of Frontiersmen in a friendly match, at the “Legion” miniature rifle . range at Wright, Stephenson, Ltd. After a wellcontested shoot, tlie R.N.V.R, team won by a narrow margin. Annual Musketry ' Course , The first section of the annual musketry course for the division will commence at 2.30 pan. on Pelichet Bay range on Saturday, September 15. All ratings firing ou that day will be at the. firing point by 2 o’clock. The second and third sections will commence at f 2.30 p.m. on September 22 and 29 respectively. Voluntary Training The wireless telegraphy avid visual signalling equipment is available for voluntary practice on Monday nights, and is generally made good use of on those evenings. OTAGO REGIMENT. N.C.O. Parade The non-epmmisioned officers of the Otago Regiment paraded at the Drill Hall last evening. . , The work for next week was revised, working by companies. Several teams of private soldiers engaged in basketball and physical training. The unit (less transport) will parade at the Drill Hall next Tuesdi ty evening at 7.30. Mosgiel Platoon The . No. ,3 (Mosgiel) Platoon, of A Company will parade on Saturday afternoon, September 22, af 2, at the quarry. RIFLE SHOOTING. Colonial Prize-firing

On April 27, 1870, the shooting for the colonial prizes was held in Dunedin, in a paddock the property of Mr Lindsay, at the North-East Valley. It was feared from the inclement weather of the preceding day that there would have been some difficulty in getting the matches off, but, fortunately, the rain had abated, and, with the exception that it, was rather cold, the weather was favourable.; The attendance of spectators was not r very large,- but those who were there, appeared to enjoy the sport thoroughly and to fake much interest in the proceedings. Shortly after 10 o’clock in the forenoon lots were drawn and the men told off into squads. Of these there were: three, the first oif 14 men being under the command of Captain Steward, of Oamarii; the second of 14 men under that of Captain Paterson, No. 1 Company; and the third of 13 men under jtbat- of Captain Cantrell, S.D., dangers. The first match shot was for the judging distance (no.t exceeding 400 yards), as may be appointed by the officer in command of the firing party. Five shots in the whole to be fired by each competitor, who will judge his own distance; maximum points, 20. The following are the scores made by the various competitors in the match: — First Squad.—Sergeant Hazard, IS; Sergeant Cameron, - 18; Sergeant D. Grant, 18; Corporal Treseder, 17; Sergeant Moore, 17; Vol. Robertson, 16; Vol. J. L. Gillies, 15; Vol. Holse, 15; Sergeant Gully, 14; Lieutenant Tubman, 12; Vol. Batham, 12; Vol. Henderson, 12; Vol. D. Buchanan, 10; Sergeant Gibson, 3. Second Squad.—Vol. Henough, 16; Vol. Dick, 16; Vol. Anketell, 15; Vol. Smith, 15; Captain Livingston, 15; Captain M'Grcgor, 14; Vol. Campbell, 14; Vol. Kirby, 13; Vol. Mackenzie, 13; Vol. Small, 13; Vol. Mackenzie, 12; Corporal Wearing, 11; Lieutenant Day, 11; Vol. Hardy, 11. ’ Third Squad.—Sergeant Wilson, 18; Lieutentnt Goldie, 17; Sergeant Baton, 16; Sergeant William, 15; Lieutenant Marrow, 13; Vol. Madison, 13; Sergeant Brown, ■ 13; Lieutenant Liddle, 12, Sergeant Blake, 12; Lieutenant Barron, 12;” Constable Bullett, 12; Volunteer Boardman, 10; Sergeant Allen, 9. The ranges shot at were as follows: 140 yards, 380 yards, 470 yards, and S4o yards. Sergeant Hazard, of the Thames Volunteers, Sergeant Cameron, of the Canterbury Volunteers, Petty-omcer Grant, of the D.N.8., and Sergeant Wilson, No. 2 Company, Dunedin, made 18 points each; and Sergeants Hazard, Wilson, and Cameron, having made bull s-eyes at the 470 yards range, had to shoot off at 345 yards. Sergeant Hazard took the first prize of £9 by making a centre, and Sergeants Wilson and Cameron had then to shoot off for second and third prizes. A single shot at 430 yards decided the question, Wilson taking the second prize of £8 and Cameron the third of £7. The report concludes by stating that the shooting will be continued to-day (28/4/1870), and will commence at 9 o’clock this morning.— (To be continued.) A Rifleman’s Way

No rifleman can be expected to do his best at 300 or 900 or any number of yards if he has left his favourite coat at pome banging behind the scullery door. That Old Coat.—You may wonder at the rifleman’s dilapidated old coat. You may even be moved, especially if you were once a volunteer and possess an old khaki coat, to offer it to the shooter. Stay that charitable impulse! It is misplaced. Probably the rifleman runs a fleet of motor cars. He even may have half a dozen volunteer coats at home in the wardrobe in better condition than yours. But will he change them for the old coat i Not he. , . If you ask him, the rifleman will explain his old coat away in a remark that it is a pity to wear good clothes at the butts. Don’t be misled. The chances are 100 to 1 he doesn’t mean it. What sort of an amateur rifleman do you think he d look it that old coat didn’t show the scars of untold shooting battles! The perfect old coat, the coat that exudes an atmosphere of sympathy with the rifleman when he loses, caresses the stock of the rifle, and invokes that essential part of the equipment to do_ its darn’dest. That perfect old coat is a thing of many shreds and numerous patches. It has been out-at-elbows so many times it has lost count. The “ kick ” of the rifle has worn it through at the shoulder till it shows evidence of a dozen mends. , Could you, could I, it we were riflemen, abandon a perfect old coat, companion of many King’s Prize campaigns, to the tender mercies of the (t Old Clothes Man 99 —to be torn asunder, to lose its patches of

chamois leather, perhaps to be recast in the form of rag paper, and to bear an account of a King’s Prize meeting? Perish the thought, says the good shooter, of such perfidy to the perfect old coat.