H BATTERY, N.Z.F.A.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12749, 22 March 1910, Page 4

H BATTERY, N.Z.F.A.

BREAK UP OF CAMP. ANNUAL SERVICE PRACTICE. Yesterday the H Battery concluded their annual training camp at the Botanical Keserve, the ..men having been under canvas rfor sixteen days, during which time much useful work has been done. The :daily routine commenced at five .o'clock in the morning, and there was, when weather permitted, one and a quarter hour's drill before breakfast. In j the ■ evening, after tea, drill commenced at 6.30, and- was not concluded- until nine o'clock. On Saturday afternoons and Sundays every available minute was occupied with drill, which in the case of the H Battery is hard work,, but thfe .'members are not -lacking in enthusiasm, and they get much pleasure out of their drill. Their self sacrifice in learning to der fend their country should occasion arise should bo an object lesson to the dozens of of cigarette smoking youths who congregate at street corners every evening and jeer at the volunteers at every opportunity. r - , The annual service practice of the H Battery was carried out on Saturday afternoon from Allport's paddock, near the Freezing Works, between Stoke and Richmond, the targets being situated on Saxon's property, a distance of nearly three thousand yards away. In. previous years the Battery has carried out service practice on Sundays, when the whole day has been occupied, and they have been able to proceed further afield and select a locality that has been absolutely sale, and not so near the city. This, year it was impossible to carry ou£ the service practice on Sunday, owiug to the new defence regulations prohibiting Sunday shooting; This caused some difficulty in selecting a safe range near -to town, which could be reached in time to carry out the practice and return to camp in ,the evening. Under the new system' it is expected that employers will grant their . employees a week's leave of absence each year for the purjpdses of military training, and if this is done the Battery will in the future' be able to go " away; back into the country, and carry , out their shooting under proper service conditions. , The Battery, fully horsed, left camp at 1.30 p.m., and route marched to the' practice ground^ there being a 'musW of about forty men but of a roll number of sixty.; Captain Grace I was in command, and with him were Lieutenants: Brough : and Brown. Lieut.-Colonel Joyce, 0.C.D., was also present. „ . . ■• -Qn 'arrival at the. practice ground Captain Grace located the targets, and brought the Battery, into action. The targets consisted of small pieces of kharki, on which were suspended pieces "of tin. These flashing in the sunlight represented rifle fire. The first series of twenty rounds having been fired, Captain Grace was casualtied, 'and Lieut. Brough took command A hew target appearing in another direction was likewise engaged, and I the second series was fired. Lieut. Brown took the next series' at targets at a much shorter range. The last round of this series fell somewhat short, and demolished a blue gum tree in a plantation on. the near* side of the target. From- -an onlooker's point of view- tho shopping did ..not appear to be i-ery accurate; AVmla so'miß of the rounds burstyon-tho targets, quite a number were not observed. The official results '.-of ■ the test, however, are not available at present., but will be made public later. ■'. Some of the -boy scouts wore out with tho Battery, and spent a very interesting afternoon. ■ . .• On Sunday the Battery put in a Very bard morning's work in, rehearsing the turn out and alarm tests. Some good work was Johe. The horses were harnessed up. hooked in, ! and the Battery moved ; off in a little over three minutes, which was a very good performance. ■..■■-. . ? '■ At the conclusion of the camp Captain Richardson, Chief Instructor of Artillery; expressed' 'lns appreciation of the keenness and enthusiasm displayed .by the men; aad spoke. of. the; good material of whiph the battery was composed,