THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3071, 22 January 1913, Page 6

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

By Sentry. fl. «-r

[ltems of interest concerning corps (town and country), shooting, and defence matters generally will be accepted Copy, addressed to “ Sentry,” should be in hand by noon on Thursday.]

The population of Dunedin will bo afforded on the afternoon of Saturday, February 8, an opportunity of seeing the whole of the Garrison troops of Dunedin on parade in marching order. A parade of the whole of tho local troops is being ordered for that day for the purpose of carrying out a tactical exercise, probably in the vicinity of Cargill’s Castle, over the ground upon which the 4th Regiment has recently been exercised. Colonel E. K. Smith will be in command, and so far as the troops are concerned the parade will count as one of the regulation half-day parades. As the first assembly of the whole of the Garrison troops since tho inauguration of the new scheme the parade will bo interesting, illustrating in part the progress to date. Captain D. C. Spencer-Smith has resigned his appointment as staff officer to the General Officer Commanding New Zealand Military Forces. Captain T. E. Estcourt, 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) has been appointed to the vacancy. Lieutenant-colonel W. J. Strong’ has been appointed to be Coast Defence Commander, Otago, vice Colonel the Hon. James Allen (resigned). Messrs Amos M'Kegg and J. R. Wilson have been appointed to be second lieutenants (on probation) sth Mounted Rifles (Otago Hussars). According to tho United Service Gazette, Colonel E. S. Heard, late Director of Military Training in New Zealand, has been advanced to General Staff Officer, Ist grade. As headquarters has not approved the proposed water supply scheme, involving the purchase of an engine for pumping, it has been found necessary to change from the proposed camp site , at Matarao to one at which the water supply bogey will not rear its head. A new site, about a couple of miles distant -from the old one, has now been selected. Troops will be detrained at Sutton siding, and will march thence about two miles and a-half to the camp site. The site chosen is in the vicinity of the bridge (not tho railway bridge) on tho Suttbn(Jutram main road. The camp will be on one side of the river, but the country on both sides of tho river will probably bo made use of. The horses will have be led to the stream to be watered. With respect to canceen, the department intends to arrange for one “dry” canteen for the brigade. Tho Field Artillery Brigade’s camp from February 28 to March 8 will not be affected by this change, as the site (across the stream from the new site) originally chosen for the artillery camp will bo adhered to. Members of B (University) section of No. 2 Field Ambulance travelled to Waituti by tho 3,18 p.m. train on Friday, January 10, and pitched camp on the show ground — 11 tents and hospital and operating marquees. The officers present were Captain Malcolm and Lieutenants Short and Wallis, with Staff-sergeant-major Rudd. There wore only two or three absentees, the muster totalling 49. Tho daily routine comprised: Reveille, 5.30 a.m.; physical drill, cleaning up tents, etc., 6 to 7 a.m. ; breakfast, 8.30 a.m..; parade for inspection, 9.15 a.m. ; rest of morning, squad and company drill, stretcher drill, tent pitching; dinner, 12.30. p.m.; afternoon, stretcher drill, company drill, signalling, and one hour and u-half route inarch; tea, 5.30 p.m.; first post, 9.30 p.m.; last post, 10 p.m.; lights out, 10.15 p.m. On the whole, very good work has been put Ln, there being a very marked improvement in efficiency in all branches of the work. Work has been little interfered with by weather, only a few showers during the camp. Special attention has been given to camp sanitation, seeing that many of the men will probably be medical officers to tho forces later on. The health of all has been good, and the food and cooking have been all that could be desiredin camp. The carrj-ing out of the musketry course is attended with some difficulty and delay owing to the lack of facilities at the range. For example, there is no 25 yards mound, and the ground in front of the mound at 100 yards is swampy, so that for the shooting at 25 yards the targets have to be carried back and placed in position 25 yards in front of the 200 yards mound. Then the present method of cleaning the rifles necessitates a supply of boiling water which at

the close of the firing is poured into each weapon to expand the barrel and make it easier to clean when the pull-through is used immediately afterwards. This involves a continual shifting of material which at the close of the day has to be carried to the sheds and locked up, and of necessity tends to slow up the actual carrying out of the “ practices.’’ “ For work and progress, one of the best camps I have taken part in.” Thus Major Murray, concerning the recent camp of cadet officers and non-commissioned officers, of which he was in command. The enthusiasm shown by cadet officers and noncommissioned officers in this district, which augurs well for the health of the cadet movement, is a tribute to the zeal and boundless energy of Captain Thoms, who has been the moving spirit in cadet matters in this district. One factor making for success at the camp in question was the presence of a largo proportion of instructors, the consequent division of the troops into small squads enabling the instructor to give more intimate attention to the instruction of the individuals. Musketry was one of the main features of the training, although attention was given to almost all departments of their work, including company training and the carrying out of small tactical schemes. After January 25 cadet companies will parade regularly again, and the practical value of the ■training camp for the officers will soon bo apparent in their handling of their companies.

The general opinion, as regards the future operations of aircraft, is that they will causo an enormous amount of night work for all arms. Night attacks, which have not found favour with British commanders of huge forces in iato years, will probably bo revived to u considerable extent, but Sir Horace Smith-Dorricn makes some caution? observations on tho subject which might he usefully studied bv ail concerned. Owing to tho increased power of modern firearms and tho introduction of aerial reconnaissance. says General Smith-Dorrien, it h quite certain that night operations will become more common in war. at times in tho form of night attacks, but more frequently as night approaches, with a view either to attack at dawn or to upsetting the plane of the enemy based on the previous evening’s aerial reconnaissance. Neither form of operation should bo undertaken unless there has been opportunity for a. previous evening’s aerial reconnaissance. News of the exact position of flic enemy is essential, and must, if necessary, be fought for, and having succeeded in locating him, the necessary stops must be taken to ensure immediate news of anv change that he may make. If tho reconnaissance does not obtain definite information a night attack should not bo embarked on. though possibly the information gained might be sufficient to warrant advantage being taken of flie darkness for a near approach, with a view to an attack at down. In any case a night attack by a large force is a dangerous operation. The form of night attack which the Japanese found so successful was to send a force of one or two brigades to seize, under cover of darkness, the key of tl.o hostile position, and, as day broke, to attack the position with tho emainder of their forces.