WHERE THEY EXCEL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11686, 1 May 1916, Page 4

WHERE THEY EXCEL.

TWELFTH RELWORCEMENTS. REVIEWED BY CHIEF OF STAFF. The work of the Twelfth Reinforcements, who have now completed their training, was reviewed hv Colonel .(.'. M. Gibbon, 1.G.5., Chief'of the General Staff, in the course of an addresr, to them at Treiiiham Camp and Thursday afternoon. The Twelfths were drawn up in the form of a hollow square, and during his remarks Colonel Gibbon gave them some sound soldierly advice as to their future behaviour abroad. MOUXTEDS MOSTLY PICKED MEN. "In the. Mounted Rifles, I think,'' ho said, "wo havo one ,of the best drafts we have vet sent. They are mostly picked nion. T have not got their musketry record yet. and 1 do not know how they compared with the previous drafts. " With this draft we have yet another new unit—the Cyclist Company. We do not pretend that the men are fully trained, as wo have not got .suitable bicycles in this country. They have, therefore, to complete, their training on arrival at the ba.se. Wo have officers undergoing training to assist tho cyclist unit in completing their training when they arrive * ! there. FINE ARTILLERY DRAFT. "The Artillery is a. very line draft. The highest standard has been aimed' at, and I believe that the Twelfths are as good as, if not better than, any other draft wo have yet sent. " Tho Engineer draft is one that will do credit to us. It has been through the full period of training, and has been trained in a {jood many more points than the precca'ing drafts. The signalling portion of the Engineers h particularly good, owing to the fact that wo had equipment, available for their training which wo did not have before. For that reason this section is better than any previously sent.

INFANTRY'S MUSKETRY RECORD. " The infantry draft we are satisfied with. It is troll up to our standard. In musketry they havo created a record —they have beaten the Fifths. Their figure of merit is the highest of any draft that has yet left the camp. B Company a gam head's the Reinforcement, with the best score; it does not constitute a. record for the camp, hut it very nearly does. The march over the hill was good. The conditions, perhaps, were not quite so favourable as for the preceding draft; consequently one or two men fell 1 out. The, Army Service draft, the Inspector of Army Service Corps tells me, is the best draft we have yet sent from 2<ew Zealand. "I am sorry that we had not the same number of vacancies for this draft for non-commissioned officers for promotions to commissions. Various reasons . combined to lessen the number of vacancies available, and the policy is not to keep men back for- the succeeding draft. _ It is all the better for the Expeditionary Force that the draft should be strong in n.c.o.'s, but in view of the' way all the n.c.o.'s worked so hard to attain the highest standard, we havo decided in future to give a certificate to n.c.o.'s who havo otherwise qualified but failed to get commissions, showing what they have done in the examination, so that the certificate may be of value to them later on.

" The draft has done well, buE it has had great opportunities. The weather throughout has been splendid, and the draft has been exceptionally fortunate in having had such weather to carry out its musketry. Of course, that had a very great deal to d'o with such good results having been attained. The draft is a steady one, and has worked hard, and' I think has done its best. THE VALUE OF DISCIPLINE. " The Question of discipline," he proceeded', ''is such an important matter to you all that I want to talk to you about it. We have done our best to inculcate the principles of discipline in you. i To some discipline may appear irksome. Such is not the case. We want discipline in this camp to enable us to put the utmost amount of training into officers, n.c.o.'s and men who are under our instruction while in. New Zealand, but more discipline is required at the front to enable the Staff to handle you to the best possible effect, and. not only that, but in your own interests, and perhaps' to save your lives- Discipline consists in carrying out all orders immediately and implicitly, whether 'under observation or not. * For example, sanitary orders appear irksome very often, but. their neglect mav involve sickness, which mav seriously affect the fighting efficiency of our troops. We have had it said bv one of our Generals from the front, that the best regiments are those with the best discipline. We want it to be said that our New Zealandere are the best of the overseas troops because of their discipline.- Certainly, if you have the discipline you will bo the best- " Discipline, he pointed out. was very important when troops were mancei'ivring iu the open field, more so. indeed, than in trench wartare where there was so much routine, and it was never so important as in a retreat, when troops "retired before the enemy in order tnat they might fight better another day. WHAT THE GERMANS COUNTED

'••Remember that the Germans have counted on that," tue speaker. -Shortly before war broke out one of then" lading military writers stated that the British ovei---oas dominions might be neglected as far as military value went because discipline could never be instilled into them, and" therefore they would be valueless in battle. Wc tried to instruct you on proper lines, and now it rests with you to keep it up. General Birdwood in a speech reported in yesterday's cables, ~.l'iod av:.-u'tinn to th., vu-cessity tor &■*- ri,,i;,ie amnnc our Australian troops. We must.'take thai equally as applying to us. :', everyone els- belonging to the troops. We have trained von in those canip<. not so that it 'might be s:ii;l in the newspaper:-, how manv men we lave sent, lnit for run to uo out and fight in the ranks of the New Zoalanders at the front. It is u!' to you to get there.'' Jie appealed to'.hem not. to drop out by \hv v. cv-ide. and lo avoid the temptations :>: Cairo and mi-conduct. VAI.I'K OF TRADITION". Proceeding, he reminded them that whereas liic'Main Expeditionary iv.reo ;i:ic! early reinforcements left Xew Zealand -\itheu! any traditions •-one of the greatest assets in the H;-il.i;!i Armyto live up to. they bad now tin past to 'ook br.ck upon, the ptst v. ■; vli ivjis fought by the ncn on Gallipoii—the An/.acs as rle-y .'.icro now known. Otiiy last week the whole Empire had been (clfiur"; ii:g .\"i:.tc Day. in which New /,ea>:?ide'-< had ligured in common with <i'ii'". - :-. When the .Vw Xcalandoi's were on G-;!li;ioli they had an Australian Urigade in their division. A division was l-oked upon a.~ a. <'pai;: t.- uuii-. Xuvv we had a division oi our own. ' He wanted them -in look forward xr* j.ho day end the honour of the New Zealand division v. - hen it shall have mad- a name- for itself on a future field e-eu gteater, it possible,, than that of the Anzncs. They were a strong draft: a great, deal rested with them ; they woaki prod ace their effect .it the front. They should strive and keen up the reputation gained in Eg3'pt ot each successive New Zealand draft being better than the preceding one. They shonki try and do better than the Elevenths, who had gone before them, but should remember that the final test of nil was on tIK- battlefield. It was there Ihe results of their 1 raining would be prov--'