WITH THE MOUNTEDS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 62, Issue 4403, 17 March 1941, Page 4

WITH THE MOUNTEDS

TRAINING AT WAIOURU. WHEN RIDER AND HORSE PART COMPANY. (From “A Mounted.”) “Roll Out For The Stables” isn’t a quotation or even a translation from “Roll Out The Barrel,” but to our boys it is a night-mare released for their special benefit by our Sergeant-Major. Why quit a comfortable bed at six ack emma when the horses are still asleep and visions of Jack Frost at his best in the middle of summer render such a course uncomfortable? Yes, we are waking up. Even the tale of oui horse being our best friend is quite apt. But when schooling our nonriders the part which hurts most is the parting. Various suggestions are put forth as to the correct way to make a fourpoint landing with care, and one instructor has endeavoured to illustrate. The horse is necessary but unofficial dismounting without counting out the time is strictly forbidden. SPORTS PROMINENT. Sports are a great item in our week-end routine, and when our teams are in action the Padre heaves a sigh of relief and starts his detailed system of points. What can we do without him?—he even makes sure that the lads are conscientious with their bed rolling. The best tent the other day celebrated in the canteen (dry) but time beat them next morning and the empties disappeared down the gumboots. The Padre is now wondering to whom he should give the empties or perhaps what type of service to read over fifteen dead marines in gumboots. The Padre means all he says and I’m afraid our boys believe all the instructors say, too ! Tiny dropped his rifle on parade last week and a sarcastic reprimand to the effect that he had better “lay down with it” created a stir as Tiny did as he was told. Yes, I’m sure the Army has resurrected a lot of hidden talent in wit and humour among our forces and their efforts at making soldiers had its reward when our boys demonstrated the correct method of using the rifle with accuracy. A few still persist in saying that the target moved. FUN IN SNOW. The effects of the locals down here to frighten us with tales of snow three feet deep before the end of April meets with little success as we consider the chance to ski something to be looked forward to and as a means of tent line defence a snowball will be handy. At present we look forward to the cool of the Home Town meeting places, which, we are told will be forthcoming in a very short time. Are the bands ready at home folks? Even our SergeantMajor may relent when he sees your smiling faces and consider there must be someone who cares for us. We wonder ourselves sometimes what redeeming features we have and only the welcome at the Old Home Town can restore our faith in our declining self-esteem.