"BEST CAMP SINCE WAR”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 283, 20 February 1928, Page 9

"BEST CAMP SINCE WAR”

BATTALION AT HOPU HOPU ALL RANKS COMPLIMENTED “With the exception of the war period the camp was undoubtedly the finest I have ever been associated with since I joined the regiment when it was formed in 1887.” In these words Lieutenant-Colonel T. H. Dawson, officer commanding the First Battalion of the Auckland Regiment, complimented all ranks of the battalion on the fine spirit in which its annual training course at Hopu Hopu had been carried out. “All ranks have settled down to the spirit of camp life,” said Colonel Dawson in his farewell address to the men. “Officers, non-commissioned officers and men have entered into the work with an enthusiasm excelled only in the days of the war.” He stated that at times the average young soldier, and also the old soldier, was inclined to grumble when things did not exactly suit him. Certainly to be hauled out of a warm bed after sleeping through reveille at five o’clock in the morning, standard time, by an angry sergeant-major and forcibly ejected into a heavy Waikato fog was not always conducive to good language, on either side, but it was part and parcel of a military training system which, with all its shortcomings, was doing a great deal of good in the physical sense to the youth i_f the Dominion.

GENERAL YOUNG’S VISIT The visit of Major-General R. Young, General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Military Forces, was the outstanding event of the camp. The O.C. spent three days at the camp, and judging by the critical comment expressed to all ranks at the conclusion of his visit, he took more than a passing interest in all details of the work. The G.O.C. stated that he was very pleased with the work of the men in the field, but the outstanding mistake made was that they did not take nearly enough advantage of cover. • Without bullets whistling past his ears and the rat-tat-tat of the machineguns as they mow down with deadly accuracy an advancing line, the soldier in the making had no need to crawl where he could walk, and consequently the "enemy” was usually aware of his whereabouts. “Cover,” said General Young, “is the poor old infantryman’s greatest means of defence. With snipers, machine-guns, tanks and artillery, In front of him. and planes above him, his task is hopeless unless he takes every advantage of It. The camp broke up on Saturday afternoon and all ranks returned to the city in the evening. TROPHIES PRESENTED Trophies were presented on Saturday morning by Mrs. Dawson. The following are the results of the various regimental competitions during the camp: Suffolk Shield, for general efficiency— C Company, 704 points, 1: A Company, 6135. 2: r> Company, 582. S. Buchanan Cup for Drill. —C Company, 210, 1; B Company, 205, 2; D Company. 162, S.

Ranfurly Bowl, for Inter-company Sports.—C Company. 64, 1; A Company, 63. 2; E Company, 59, 3. Route Marching Cup.—A Company, 82, 1; C company, 68, 2; D Company, Coltman Cup for Cleanest Lines.—C Company, 203. 1; B Company, 179, 2; Headquarters Wing, 169. 3. Physical Drill.—A Company, 391, 1; C Company, SB, 2; E and B Companies, 84, 3. „ .

Guard Mounting.—E Company, 79, 1; D Company, 73, 2; C Company, 61, 3. Platoon Clean Lines Competition.—C Company, No. 9 platoon, 1; C Company, No. 11 Platoon, 2. Recruit Cup.—Private A. C. TurtilJ, B

Company. The battalion sports resulted as follows : 100 Yards: Hook, A Company, 1: D. Gordon, Headquarters Wing, 2; Lieutenant J. Grace, D Company, 3. 220 Yards: Hook, 1; Bartley, E Company, 2; P. C. Minns, C Company, 3. 440 Yards: Hook, 1; Bainbridge, A Company, 2; Wells, D Company, 3. SSO Yards: Watt, D Company, l; Sergeant Kells, E Company, 2; Bainbridge, 3. High Jump: Private Abbott, D Company, 1: Lieutenant Grace, 2; Sergeant-Major Mcßae, E Company, 3. Inter-company Relay: E Company, 1; C Company, 2. Platoon Tug-of-War: D. Company, No. 14, 1; C Company, No. 11. 2. Tabloid Athletics: C Company 1; E Company. 2* A Company, A -