MILITARY TRAINING.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14539, 17 October 1917, Page 1 (Supplement)

MILITARY TRAINING.

COLLEGE CADETS IN BARRACKS

VALUE OF CADET WORK

ADDRESS BY MAJOR SLEE.MAN,

(From "The Colonist," Sept. 29th.)

'ihe special counso of military training winch the Nelson College' Cadets have been undergoing during tho past three days wap brought to a close last czoning. Major J. L/Sleoman, ].G.S., Director of Military Training in New Zealand, was the officer in ■ "command. The object of the banaeks is the standardisation of-all branches of military training, and the work includes nuh\i«3ual instruction in all branches of drill >«.ud musketry, including short tactical manoeuvres, lectures, urn demonstrations, oi various kinds;

Yesterday aiterrioon thnro was a large attendance of the public to witness the CDncludinp: operations, v. Inch were carried out in the Crjilo^e grounds. Tho Cadets were first exercised in company drill," which was followed by the general salute in line, and a nuueh pa«t of the coir-panics in jpen, ar.d subsequently m close column. This' \vas, followed by platoon section, squad, and extended order drill, culminating in an attack, carried out Avith blank ammunition, by three platoons on a fourth holding a defensive position, with the artillery supporting the attacking force. The movements were carried out with great steadiness, and Major ,Sleeman was highly pleased with: the.march lpast, which ho- said would' have-clone credit to a: professional army. .At tho conclusion of the ' barracks last evening Major Sleeman gave ah address at the College. He -expressed himself as. entirely satisfied with-the keenness and discipline: shown' by all ranks, and stated that;'-'/although, r.ot one notorious for expressing approval, he/was quite satisfied that the.work of the contingent was on satisfactory fines, which, if the present keenness is maintained, will undoubtedly see the unit one of the best? in the Dominion in the future But, he: remarked between today and the period AVhen the.contingent ■would arrive at a full state of discipline and efficiency, there was a long road to be. covered, Svith many pitfalls on either side, which they must seek to avoid. First must come their school work, second their school games, and third their cadet training, but they should remember that, although cadet training must necessarily come third, all cadets should strive to Decome as efficient isoldicrs ■as they doubtless Were efficient footballers and cricketers.

if proof of the value of cadet training is wanted, said Major Sleeman, it would surely be found in the fact that overworked Headquarters and District Staffs endeavoured to provide- such balance of instruction as they could in the present abnormal times; . Tne.Reacl-. quarter? had recognised' that the Dominion had sent to the front a very large proportion of its manhood,, and. that in the future it was . essential that those now training for. the Territorial Forces 'should enter that force highly trained recruits. Many of that army had sacrificed themselves, and would never return to New Zealand, while others would return crippled in health or dependent upon' civilian occupations, which would require their entire time to.re-establish. Consequently, it was to the coming generation that the thoughts of those concerned' with the safety of the Dominion- should be turned. .

Modern war, continued Major Sleeman, had shown that no half-measures were of any avail. JNeither did the instructional staff of the Dominion wish to encourage in any way a spirit of aggression. Vet this war had shown that the only way to hold what we have is by placing a strong, force between any possible aggressor and our possessions.

Major Sleeniau said that his purpose was to hold a barracks in each of the big schools of the Dominion, in^ the hope that smaller ones would manage to hold' similar barracks of instruction, in order to convince the scholars that military work could be made s.s instructive and interesting, as.any game they played. He pointed out that. but. for the recognition of the public schools in England four years prior to the-"war that such training was necessary, tho new army could never have been formed. The English public schools and universities formed similar organisations to the cadet forces in New Zealand early in 1909. In 1911— two years later—no fewer than 25,000 cadet officers from those corps marched past the King at Windsor. This success was obtained in spite of severe criticism, not confined to civilian circles alone, but in spite of difficulties almost insurmountable encountered by the Cadet iorces and the Territorial forces (both of which wore voluntary), when Germany struck in 1914, the Territorials responded to a man and helped to fill the gaps in our defences and fighting-lino without de--1 lay, while the Cadet forces, called in ! England the Officers' Training Corps. ! provided no fewer than 11,000' officers for the new army 'within three'months.

These officers, said Major Sleeman, were not "amateurs, but youths anti men who had worked during the intervening space of five years, 1909-1914, to equip, themselves ■with;the hundreds of points required from a modern officer. But for their arrival and their preparation, the new arany would un-.idpubted-ly -■■nave-, suffered very seriously in . ttieir ..training, and most certainly; would have suffered, very seriously in loss, of life, it was- efficiency that counted in '-modern warfare, wfiere individual strength and courage was of little value unless combined with skill and modern military methods. ■•

Since his arrival from France, Major j Sleeman remarked, ho iiad seen every cadet corps in New Zealand almost without exception, and "New Zealand possessed the finest material for the future defence forces of any other country in the world. He impressed ■upon all that' nothing remained except ■to provide training, for those forces on ■efficient, lines in order to ensure the future success,of the Territorial Forces. The Dominion possessed a small population, and' was'consequently.1, unable to maintain a 'large standing army. Therefore its men must expect to follow civil occupations in addition to learning to defend their country. By spreading the military training over a number of years it was possible to" provide the necessary military instruction, but only if —and a most important if—each member of the forces realised the necessity for maintaining their keenness throughput their compulsory training.

In conclusion, Major Sleenian again expressed his admiration for the excellent manner in w.hich. the Nelson College Cadets had responded, and he complimented all ranks upon their discipline, and their goiieral conduct and cleanliness,-.'all.of'which .showed that in Nelson College the Dominion was fortunate enough to have material to make a splendid .contingent. He hoped when he next visited Nelson, he would find that the authorities had found it possible to provide some form of band — drum j)nd life or bugle—to help the Cadets along, a road sometimes monotonous, sometimes hard,•'which'all men had to traverse before they could hope to •.>rrive at s, satisfactory standard of discipline and1 efficienev.

'Major- Sieemnn said' that the success of'the barracks was largely attributable to the excellent work of the officers comm.'tndmo; the units, Major Con way :\nc\ Captain Lccnnng (Field Artillery Instructor), the officers and the staff-1 spj-jreant-majors, all of avhorn had Avorked in the most admirable, manner.