MILITARY CAMP

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20028, 8 February 1935, Page 5

MILITARY CAMP

TIMARU CONTINGENT RETURN Members of D (Support) Company, who have been in camp at Kowai Bush, along with over 200 other members of the First Battalion Canterbury Regiment, have returned to Timaru. The 300-odd officers and men had a thoroughly pleasant week and most regret that the camp had not been for a fortnight. Rain fell only on Sunday, visitors’ day, when there was a heavy downpour almost immediately after the ceremonial parade. There was little sickness in the camp and nothing more serious than sore feet. No sports were held, but a bathing pool received plenty of attention in the evenings, when the day’s work had been done. The first three days were devoted to field-firing with Lewis guns and rifles, section leaders being given practice in fire control and fire orders. On Monday, after 24 hours had been allowed for the battalion to take up its position, a battalion defensive scheme was evolved against an imaginary enemy, approaching from the direction of Porter's Pass. On Tuesday the battalion fought a mock battle against another imaginary enemy situated on Caesar’s Hill. The unit was assisted by a section from the 3rd Company Field Engineers, which gave demonstrations of assault-bridg-ing (a method of conveying troops across streams, and of placing barbedwire impediments before the trenches. The forward troops advanced against the enemy and when resistance to them became more solid, the attack was developed fully. The effect of artillery fire was realistically achieved by the engineers who placed charges on the hill and exploded them. Dense pillars of smoke rose in the air. Major-General Sir William Sin-clair-Burgess, O.C. New Zealand forces, watched the battalion at its field work and later inspected it. He was very pleased with the work and appearance of the unit.