NAVAL AND MILITARY NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22422, 17 November 1934, Page 5

NAVAL AND MILITARY NOTES

FROM MESS DECK, PARADE GROUND, AND RIFLE RANGE ■ /By ButL’s-tTB.) OTAGO DIVISION, R.NV.H. (N.Z.D.). Royal Guard of Honour The Otago Division is to provide a royal guard of honour to the Duke _ of Gloucester during his forthcoming visit to Dunedin, and, in view of this, every opportunity is being taken for practise in the ceremonial drill, Both subdivisions paraded together, last /Wednesday evening, when guard mounting drill was carried out. , The division will parade this evening, and will be inspected by the commodore commanding the New Zealand Station (Rear-admiral F. Burges Watson). According to a London cable, dated November 11, Captain E. R. Drummond is to succeed Rear-admiral Burgees Watson as commodore of the New Zealand Station on April 24. Annual Sea Training < The annual sea. training of R.N.V.R. ratings will commence aboard H.M.S. Wakakura on January 12. 1936. Ratings are to arrange dates with their instructors.:,, " ' *•'' " ' Whalers Ready for Boat Work Saturday next- will ' see the divisional whalers ready to take the water, and boat-pulling will be carried out on week nights. Flagship Trophy The annual shoot for, the flagship trophy between teams selected > from H.M.S. ‘Dunedin and Otago Division, R.N.V.R., took place on headquarters’ miniature range on Monday‘evening. The Shoot, comprising two practices, application and snap, resulted in a win for H.M.S. Dunediri by a narrow margin of three points.. The following are the individual* scores of the two teams:— j < - ■ H.M.S. DUNEDIN. - ;

. ARTILLERY. 14th Medium Battery, N.Z.A, There was an excellent attendance of all ranks of the 14th Battery at the weekend camp,; which was'held at Central Battery, St. Hilda, on Saturday and Sunday. A 'Very ;comprehensive syllabus of training had been drawn up, and this was tarried out to its fullest extent, with the result that a marked degree- of progress was made in the year’s training, the effect of which will prove of considerable value when the battery proceeds to Central Otago early in the -New Year for its annual camp and live shell practice. OTAGO REGIMENT. Night Parade* ' Tbe battalion paraded at the. Drill Hall last evening and carried but a syllabus programme. A company carried, out Lewis gun revision and prepared the. guiis for range wbrk. The machine gun .platoons;of-D ;(S) Company spent the earlier portion of the evening on gun drill and stoppages. The . intelligence ■section also revised Lewis gun work. In the latter portion of the evening ail subunits paraded and carried out ceremonial drill under Captain P. W. Spiers. ’' • The signal section, under Captain M. Harvey, spent an interesting evening working in signal communication with H.M.S., Dunedin. The transport section paraded at the Central Battery, and the drivers underwent the qualification tests. All Dunedin portions of the unit will parade at the Drill Hall next Tuesday evening, when further ceremonial work will be carried out. and an interesting interlude will be the screening of the film of the Labour week-end bivouac made by Major J. M. Samson. Half-day Parades

A company and the intelligence section of headquarters wing will parade at the Pelichet Bay rifle range next Saturday afternoon for the firing of the annual, Lewis gun classification practice; Dress: Drill order, less rifles. PROMOTION EXAMINATIONS. Otago District Results The following are the Otago district results of the examinations for promotion held recently:— Tactical Fitness (Major to Lieutenantcolonel). —Mfijor J. M‘Pherson,_ 0.8. E. ■ Captain to Major.—Captains F. J. Booth, R. Fraser, A. D. Reid, E. J. Anderson (partial pass), and L. W. Neill (partial pass). Lieutenant to Captain.—Lieutenants T. C. Williams, E. Hayes, E. Waldren, W. Small (partial pass), W. Lang, and J. J. Buchan (partial pass). First Appointment to Commission. — Sergeant-major J. B. M'Math, Sergeants B. C. Porter, F. H. Fraser, H. A. S. Orbell, T. H. Jorey, H. D. Ramsay, and E. D. Price. RIFLE SHOOTING. % Otago Rifle Association The prize meeting of the O.R.A. (states a report of December 12, 1870) was continued on Saturday, the first match being for the challenge cup presented by Mr W. Mason when president of the association. The weather was much more favourable than on the previous day, being warm and with but little wind until about 8 o'clock,' when "a breeze sprang up from the left front and continued during the. remainder of the day. In addition to the cup (which has to be won twice in succession before being finally won), there was a money prize of £5, second prize of £4, third and fourth of £3 each, fifth, sixth, and seventh of £2 each, and eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh of £1 each, and range prizes of £1 at each range. The conditions of the match were:— Ranges, 200, 500, and 600 yards; five shots at each range; Hythe position at 200 and any position at 500 and 600 yards; Wimbledon targets and scoring. The following are the names of the winners and their respective scores:— Ensign Richardson (West Taieri), 52; Sergeant Robertson (West Taieri), 48; Colour-sergeant Taylor (No. 2, Scottish), 45; Corporal M'Gregor (No. 1, City Guards), 43; Sergeant Cowie (No. 2, Scottish), 42; Volunteer M'Laren (South District), 42; Captain Wales (No, 1, City Guards), 41; Colour-sergeant Douglas (No. 1, City Guai-ds), 41; Corporal Stalker (No. I. City Guards), 41; Lieutenant Marshall (Wakari), 41. Range prizes: 200 yards. Corporal M'Gregor, 18 points; 500 yards, Sergeant Cowie, 18 points; 600 yards. Ensign Richardson, 19 points. Shortly after 1 o’clock the men fell In for the “ Any Rifle Match ” at 700 yards and 800 yards. Owing to the fact of the targets being permanently fixed it was found impossible to form two squads, or even to procure a full-sized target for one. The target used was only six feet by eight feet instead of six feet by 12 feet, the competitors thus losing four feet of target, which would have saved many misses. It is to be hoped that before next meeting steps will be taken to have a sufficiency of spare targets on the ground to meet any emergency. The match terminated, as was expected in favour of the small bore rifles; the Enfields, though defeated, were not disgraced, as the range prize at 700 yards was taken by one, and several high scores were made at each range by them. At the longer distance they gradually fell back, and the small bore men had it all their own way. The prizes were: —First, £4; second, £3; third, £2; fourth and fifth, £i; and range prizes of £1 each. Ap-

‘. : i - pended are the names of the winners and their scores:— Corporal Treseder, No, 1, City Guards (Kerr), 50; Captain Wales, No. 1, City Guards (Kerr), 45; Corporal M'Gregor, No. 1, City Guards, (Kerr), 44; Lieutenant Grant, Naval Brigade (Rigby), 43; Sergeant Muir, Artillery (Kerr), 39. Range prizes; Gunner G. Wilson (Port Chalmers Navals, 700 yards, 25 points (Medium): Corporal Treseder (No. 1, City Guards), 800 yards, 26 points (Kerr). The following good scores were made by the medium at 700 yards:—Gunner W. Turton ( Artillery), 24; and Sergeant Nightingale (North Dunedin), 24. The only matches remaining to be fired off are the Consolation Match, to be shot this morning, and the Simultaneous Match, to be fired ou the 19th inst. . The result of the Consolation Match, open to -unsuccessful competitors in , the previous matches, is contained in a report dated December 13, 1870, which states: — The unsuccessful competitors in the late matches of the O.R.A, assembled to the number of 25 to fire in the Consolation Match yesterday morning at the Anderson’s Bay butts. The ranges were 300, 400, and 500 yards; second-class targets; five shots at each range; position—kneeling at 300 and 400 yards, and any position at 500. Tlie prizes were:—Fii;st £4, second £3, third £2, and fourth £l. The morning was flue, with a slight breeze from the right. The following are the names of the winners and their respective scores:—Vol. M. C. Creagh (No. 1 City Guards). 50: Gunner D. Reid (Artillery), 49; Vol. W. Fuller (No. 1 City Guards). 48; Vol. Green (No. 2 Scottish), 47. The above match concludes the meeting so far as the town companies are concerned, the only remaining match being the simultaneous one, confined to the country corps. Major Atkinson, district adjutant, rendered valuable assistance in carrying out the matches, and deserves the thanks of all concerned for the trouble he took in making all tilings connected with the shooting go smoothly. The marking was entrusted to Staff-ser-geant M. Stevens and Mr J. Speight, sen., who performed their arduous duties in their usually efficient manner, giving entire satisfaction to all. Sergeant-major Murdoch acted as scorer in an equally satisfactory manner. The date for presenting the prizes has not yet been fixed, but, as it is believed that Colonel Harrington intends visiting Otago shortly, it is probable that they will be presented during his visit.— (To bo continued.)

Three Full Scores A remarkable performance has beeh accomplished by a rifleman in the Old Country,, Captain F, E. B. Guise, by making three full scores (105 ex 105) on three different .occasions. The latest issue of the N.R.A. Journal, commenting on this splendid performance, states: —-. > “ The making of a full score has apparently been easier this year than'ever before in the history of rifle shooting in this country. Eleven of them have been made, three of them having come to the gun of one man; a fine record. “Captain F. E. B. Guise, of Brackenhurst, Great Malvern, and a member of the Gloucester City Club, made one on June 7, a second on August 16, and a third on September 13. All of these were nominated for the British Hundred Rod, and Captain Guise is now leading in that competition with 021 points. To date his six counting scores are —105, 105, 105, 102, 102, 102; total 021 ex 630. “In sending in his third full score, Captain Guise was almost apologetic. He went to the trouble of getting three witnesses, having been satisfied with two on his second full score Hundred Roll card, and says that he thinks the Sr.eedham’s Green range must be a very easy one. ... , “He attended Bislcy this year for the first time since 1910, and was in the Indian Kolaporo and Maekinnon teams. He was in the King’s Hundred, won the S.M.R.C. .22 Pistol Championship and was third in the N.R.A. .22 Pistol Aggregate. It looks very much as though he will win the Hundred Roll Challenge Tankard, and, in any case, he seems to have had a decidedly successful year, after his long absence from the great game.’’

V-y! Application. Snap. Tl. Lieut. Watford .. 21-18 25 - 64 L.S. Draper .. . 23-24 25 — 72 A.B. Dawes .. 21-20 25‘ — 66, Mne. Marsh .. 49 25 — 74 A.B. Boyd .. . . .1 21-16 25 — 62 Sis. Shipraa’n . .. 24-21 20 — 65 0.1. Gee .. . .. IMS' 15 — 39 Tel. Sanderson . .. 24-22 25 — 71 „ 513 E.N.V.R. L.S. Briggs ..v 23-25 25 — 73 P.0, Finlayeon . .. 9-17 * 25 — 51 Tel. Gray .. . .. 23-21 20 — 64 Yeo. Sig. Berryman .. 21-22 25 —i 68, L.S Ogg .. . . .. 21-21 ■ 20 — 62 A.B. Basbett . .. 18-23 25 — 66 A.B. Peterson . .. 8-32 25 — 65 O.S. Allan .. . 20 — 61 510