AT BATTLE PRACTICE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11800, 11 September 1916, Page 3

AT BATTLE PRACTICE.

MACHINE GUNS IN FL'LL BLAST. GOOD ARTILLERY SHOOTING. Massed machine-guns wcvc brought into play for tho, first time in the history of the Dominion at Papawai on Friday afternoon, no fewer than nineteen guns participating. They were I worked by tho Seventeenth Specialists, commanded by Second-Lieutenant E. Stubbs, and some good shooting v,a¥ done. The practice was witnessed by his Excellency the Governor (the Earl of Liverpool), Brigadier-General Robin (General Officer Commanding the iorces), Colonel C. M. Gibbon (Chief of the General Staff), Lieutenant-Col-onel N. P. Adams (Commandant .oi Fcatherston Camp), and others. Captain E. G. Eraser, Chief Machine-gun Instructor, was in charge. The "Post" states that the practice took place down on the banks of the Ruamahunga River, where the mode! machine-gun emplacements have been constructed. The first target known as " Shingle Bank," which lies in the bed of the river was engaged simultaneously by eight guns, and the effect of the Are was plainly visible in the strike of (ho bullets. The second target was a line of pontoons, which had been placed in "Pontoon Lake," forming a wide stretch of the river. The assumption was that the enemy was striving to put a pontcon bridge across. The pontoons were constructed of kerosene tins, and figures had been erected or them to represent men. On the signal being given eight machine-guns end three. Lewis guns opened fire from the emplacements and trenches at a range of about 1130 yards. _ Simultaneously a further eight Maxims stationed on the high plateau at the rear, joined in, and a great burst of lire ensued, the air being alive witn streams of whistling bulled and resounding with the reports of the guns. \\ ith the guns firing in the rear the spectators had an uncomfortable feeling, but thev wero never in any danger, the zone of fire being slightly to their kit. The shooting in this was fairly _ good, and gave the visitors a realistic impression of what it is like to be under massed machine-gun fire. Later the guns engaged the sand-bank on lontoon LakVwith good results Pener ally spe-kin"-. it in.TV be raid that the shooting was satisfactory, and reflected credit on the Seventeenths. The Eighteenth Specialists were m attendance for instructional purposes. During the. morning the Sojvoritoe.rith \rtille.ry' also engaged in battle practice with the 13-pounders at Morrison's Bush. They \m up n particularly good performance especially in the first series in which they registered several direct hits on the targets. Thenshooting was also witnessed by the Governor and party.