WAIOURU CAMP

Patea Mail, 17 November 1939, Page 3

WAIOURU CAMP

TRAINING MAN OEUVRE S NIGHTS OX THE TUSSOCKS Sleeping out on the tussocks, digging trenches, marching by night and attacking —these are some of the 1 antes of real warfare eouditiious that troops of the 1!>11 1 AVellingto’i (Hi Co) Battalion (which includes men trout laranaki) under Lieutenant-Colonel P. S. Ahumliam, MX'.. E.D., will have when the'. - go no AYatinuru camp, near Taihapo, at the end of t-ie month, says the Taranaki Herald.

AVith divisional mechanised cavalry from Auckland and engineers from Xgnruawnhia there will be approximately 1700 men engaged in these field training manoeuvres and other militarv exorcises. Whereas, at Treut.ham the men lave been operating ;n platoons and companies, at Wniouru thew will work as a ■comphi'e unit. The country is ideal for such, man cmuvros. Undulating, with flats and hiills, and covered with tussock and snow grass, it covers ofI.OOO to SO,OOO acres and extends 21 miles in length. A canvas camp to accommodate 1(00 is being built at AYaiouru with cookhouses, stores and other similar buildings in permanent materials. Roads are also being constructed in the camp, AA’ith their ground-sheets alone between them and the earth and the issue blanket to cover them, t e men will sleep out for four cr five nights during the fourteen days. They will dig and occupy trenches, consolidate ground won after mimic attacks, march on objectives by night and follow with attacks and generally get as near as possible in practice to the real thing. Ball ammunition will be issued and for days the bare country and hills round the camp will resound to the discharge of hundreds of rifles and other small arms.

The men will go direct from Trentham to AYaiouru by rail.