NAVAL AND MILITARY NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22999, 30 September 1936, Page 15

NAVAL AND MILITARY NOTES

FROM MESS DECK, PARADE GROUND AND RIFLE RANGE

By Bull’s-eye Contributors to Bull’s-eye are notified that in future all “copy” must reach the Times Office not later than 4 p.m. each Monday. OTAGO DIVISION, R.N.V.R. Small Bore Rifle Shooting On Monday of last week miniature rifle practice was carried out. There was a good attendance and some good shooting was registered. Wireless and Signals. 'On Tuesday of last week the wireless and signal ratings continued the work of the previous week. Practical wireless and visual signalling in connection with technical and minesweeping operations and convoy work were undertaken. On Wednesday evening the senior wireless ratings continued practical wireless communication with H.M.S. Philomel. On Monday evening of this week the miniature rifle range was open for practice and useful work was carried out in preparation for the forthcoming annual musketry course. On Tuesday evening the wireless and signal ratings were exercised in practical signalling, navigation lights, and rule of the road. General Training On Wednesday night the port watch was occupied during the first half of the session with rifle aiming and trigger pressing, while the starboard watch was exercised in range discipline and the method of making targets. For the second half the watches changed over and carried out the same work. This work was all in preparation for the annual musketry course, which is to commence on the Pelichet Bay range on Saturday next. All ratings who put in their names for Saturday next must report on the range at 2 p.m. sharp. This evening the division will parade as a whole, when Mr W, Downie Stewart will deliver a lecture on “International Affairs.” ' ARTILLERY , 12th Field Batttfry The battery paraded on Wednesday last at Central Battery, St. Kilda. After inspection by the battery commander, Major J. F. G. Stark, the parade went to divisions. The senior gunners under Sergeants Cayzer and Thompson carried out advanced fire discipline, using the battery picket and parallescope. The drivers continued their instruction in -horse mastership and driving drill and the correct method in using the harness. The battery staff carried nut further training in the case of equipment in the field and also in preparation for qualifying. It is gratifying to notice the number of recruits who are joining up with the battery and intending recruits are asked to make early application so as to be prepared for the annual camp. The n.c.o.’s are reminded of the refresher course which will take place at Burnham from October 3 to October' 9 The annual football match between the battery and the R.N.V.R., which was postponed from last Saturday, will be played this Saturday. The battery will parade again to-night at 7.50, when a good muster of all ranks is expected. OTAGO REGIMENT Plans have been made for several week-end bivouacs for various portions of the Otago Regiment. On October 24 members of C Company, drawn from Central Otago, wiR assemble at Clyde and disperse on the following Monday. The bivouac will be held in the motor camp and will be attended by men from the Clyde, Cromwell, Alexandra and Naseby districts. Training will consist mainly of the firing of a full rifle and Lewis gun course and platoon tactics. B Company (Uamaru) will carry out a bivouac on the same days on the property of Colonel J. Cowie Nicholls. Maheno. The syllabus will include field firing, anti-aircraft, rifle and Lewis gun training and minor tactics. The Dunedin portion of the regiment will bivouac at either Whare Flat or Outram, when the syllabus will follow the general lines of the last few years SENIOR OFFICERS’ COURSE A course of instruction for senior officers will be held at Warrington from October 23 to October 29. Majors, lieutenant-colonels and colonels of all arms in the southern command are eligible to attend. OTAGO MEDICAL COMPANY A two-day bivouac- will be held by the Otago University Medical Company next month. The unit will undergo general medical training at the Drill Hall. MILITARY WORDS AND PHRASES Their Origin (contd.) > “Cavalry” is an Italian word, and so is "infantry,” the last from “Fahti! ” —“My lads!”—the usual address of a commander to his men. In the dark ages Italy was the . only country rich enough to bear the expense of a large body of troops or a long campaign; and thence have come many of our most common words, among them “ soldier,” “battalion,” “brigade,” “captain,” and “ corporal ” —“ capo de squadra,” head of the square. Many a “lance-cor-poral” must have wondered why he bore that apparently meaningless title, and. indeed, the word is not easy to explain. In Cromwell’s army the lance-corporal was known as the' “ lance-prisade,” a word to be found in “Woodstock,” where Scott has introduced one named Zerrubabel Robins. “ Lance-prisade ” is a corruption of the Italian “lancia spezatta,” broken lance. The pride of a mediaeval army was its “ lances,” mounted men so heavily loaded with armour-plate that they required great, lumbering cart-horses to carry them, and could only move at a walk for fear of losing control of the steeds. A proficient member of this human tank corps was highly esteemed by his employers, and, if he lost his horse—as he frequently did, for he was a target for every marksman —when reduced to marching on foot with the common herd, he was still a superior being and demanded the trade union rate of pay. It was natural to expect him to do something for his extra money, so the “ broken lance ” was made a corporal’s understudy. When “lance-prisade” became “ lance-corporal,” the prefix “ lance ’’ was taken to mean “ assistant,” and was applied to “lance-sergeants,” when they were invented. “ Serjeant ” dates from the Crusades. The word is a doublet of “servant,” and was used as a generic term for the “ other ranks” of the Crusading armies. The “ colour-serjeant ’’ was created in 1813 by King George IV as an acknowledgment of the magnificent services in the Peninsular of the sergeants of the army. • France was the first of modern States to raise a standing army of regular soldiers, as distinct from the feudal rabble who used to turn up, mounted cn skinny ponies, with a gridiron dangling on one side and a bag of oatmeal on the other, for the 40 days’ service, which was all that could legally be demanded from them. As the French Army has been the model for all others, the bulk of our military terms are of French origin. Some, such as “lieu-tenant,” need no explanation But others are less obvious. The “bayonet” is said to have been invented at Biarritz. The “marquee,” in which the “other ranks” are sometimes regaled with wholesome food, is a false singular (like “Chinee” from Chinese”), from the French “ marquise.” The word dates from the days when that royal humbug, Louis XIV, going to “the wars.” used to carry about with him a bevy of lady friends, to see the sport. Apparently, a large tent like a marquee was deemed necessary for the accommodation of such a one. That important functionary, the “batman,” originally looked after the “ bat-horse,” which carried the “ bat ” (old French, “bast,” a pack-saddle). The first officer known to have employed a “ batman” was George Washington. The “ Patrouiller ” means “to mud-lark.” The men going the rounds on a wet night must have compared themselves to puddle-ducks splashing through the mire. The “congee-house,” in which

obstreperous warriors used to languish. Is said to come from the Tamil word for “boiled rice,” but was perhaps named by some ironical linguist who had passed a retreat there (French. “ conge,” leave). “ Reveille ” is French for “ Wake up! ” but in the French Army this call is known as the “ diane.” The cavalry call, “ Boot and saddle ” has nothing to do with shoe leather. It is a corruption of the Italian “ Butte' sella! ” “ Clap on your saddle! ” “On which.” says an old drill book, “the soldier shall presently make ready his horse and his own person, truss up his sack of necessaries, and make all things fitting for his journey.” “Boot and saddle” has been evolved by that gift for making sense out of apparent nonsense which converted H.M.S. Superbe into “ Soup-tub ” and H.M.S. Hirondelle into “Iron Devil.” “Tattoo” is a Dutch word, and was originally “Tap to’ (“Stop the taps”). The “post,” or sentry’s station at which the drums began to beat was obviously the “First Post.”