TRAINING COURSE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27433, 5 July 1950, Page 6

TRAINING COURSE

Army Administration Staff WEAPONS AND FIELDCRAFT An innovation for some members of the staff of the Army Department in Dunedin will begin on Monday and will continue for a fortnight. It is a course of general army training to familiarise members of the permanent staff who are normally engaged on administration duties with the more active side of army life. The general training will include instruction in the use of the Sin mortar, Bren light machine gun, pistol, rifle, and Sten gun, and the course will include a live shoot with each of these weapons. The instruction will probably be given at Pelichet Bay, except for the work on the mortar, which will be done at Harvey’s Flat, near Outram. Instruction will also be given in field craft and wireless training to bring the staff up to a reasonable standard of efficiency. This work forms a part of the air-sea rescue service in which the army co-operates with the Navy and Air Force in the case of a civil emergency. The army’s role is to provide carrying parties and establish communications. It also cooperates with the State Forest Service and Ministry of Works in cases of fire and flood where this assistance is requested. A skeleton staff will be maintained at the Kensington Army Hall from Monday until July 21, when the course of instruction will end.