HOME GUARD

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21994, 20 June 1941, Page 6

HOME GUARD

Intensive Training News Round The Companies Intensive training has been carried out by all sections of the Home Guard in recent weeks and good progress is being made in all departments. Signalling Instruction. While It is necessary in a group of signalling specialists for all members to have a thorough knowledge of Morse by the use of buzzers and lamps, the ordinary Guardsman should also be taught semaphore. The value of this simple type of communication was fully demonstrated at the recent tactical excursion to the Jollie Valley, when visual signalling over long distances proved the means of saving a great deal of time. Timaru Battalion. 4 The Timaru Battalion is shortly to have a signal platoon properly organised and attached to Battalion Headquarters. During operations ft will be the duty of battalion signallers to establish and be responsible for communication between the companies. There will also be a signal section with every company, and in turn it will be the duty of company signallers to maintain communications with platoons. Ambulance Section. Owing to the congestion of space at the Fire Brigade rooms, the ambulance section has found fresh quarters in the Harmonica Band room in Woollcombe Street. There is sufficient space available in the new quarters for both the tent and stretcher detachments to parade on the .same night, and the whole section is now working under better conditions. Cave-Cannington. The Cave-Cannington detachment appears to be a well organised body. A special detachment has been detailed to take care of transport arrangements and a party has also been organised to carry on necessary work on farms in the event of fanners being absent on duty during an emergency. Field work and general Instruction are also progressing satisfactorily and steps have been taken to form and train a signal detachment. An N.C.O. from the Cannington platoon recently attended a course of signalling instruction at Bumham and he has now taken command of training in his area. Instruction Class. It has been found advisable to discontinue the battalion instruction class for the time being and instead to have an instruction class for officers and N.C.O’s in the companies. It is hoped that this will make for more intensive training along the lines of elementary drill, musketry and open order work. It is proposed later to resume the battalion instruction class. Route March. It is likely that a big battalion route march will be held in the near future. This will be a full day parade and it is proposed to include a practice attack en route. Imnressed Rifles. Tire work of recording, classifying and inspecting .303 rifles recently impressed has almost been completed and these will shortly be issued to units. The regulations state that these rifles may be used for training purpc.-cs. but on no account must thev be used for firing practice until instructions have been Issued. Freezing Works Captured. Last week-end A, C and D Companies took part in tactical training operations in the Smithfield area. A Company, representing a raiding forced attacked and captured the freezing works, D Company from Ashbury Park and C Company, representing a country unit coming from the north staged 'a counter attack with the object of regaining the works, inflicting casualties and preventing the enemy from reembarking. The raiding company displayed ingenuity in defending ‘ itself and by means of dummy machine guns and basket bombs as handgrenades, inflicted severe casualties before being routed. The main idea of the scheme was to provide training in battle procedure along the lines of the instruction given by Major G. R. Lee. The main principles were well carried out and one of the most encouraging features was the keenness of the men and the realistic atmosphere which surrounded the movements.