MILITARY AND NAVAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18011, 23 November 1926, Page 14

MILITARY AND NAVAL NOTES.

NEWS FROM BARRACKS AND PARADE GROUND. (By “GUNNER.”) Personal. Second-Lieutenant D. T. Kelly, 2nd Cadet Battalion, Canterbury Regiment, is transferred to the WellingtonWest Coast Regiment. Lieutenant L. F. Ensor, who commands B Company of the 4th Cadet Battalion, that obtained the highest score of the night parading cadets in the Islington Challenge Cup competition, has received intimation of his transfer to the Waimatc High School. *•* *■» «*« Mr A. C. Hipwell is appointed a second-lieutenant and posted to the 4th Cadet Battalion, Canterbury Regiment. Second-Lieutenant U. S. M’Kay, 4th Cadet Battalion, Canterbury Regiment, has received a commission in the Royal Air Force and relinquishes his New Zealand commission. Major O. IL* Mead, D. 5.0., N.Z.S.C., relinquishes his appointment as staff officer in charge of Regimental District No. 5 (Wellington), and is proceeding to the Staff College at Camberly. Major X. W. # M.* Weir* N.Z.S.C., S.O. in charge of No. 12 R.D. (Invercargill) is transferred to Wellington. Captain G. Mathias, M.C., retired list, is transferred to the active list of Ist N.Z.M.R. (C.Y.C.) . •'* ♦'* •** Lieutenant X. P. Manning. Ist N.Z.M.R. (C.Y.C.), is transferred to the 6th N.Z.M.R. (Manawatu). Second-Lieutenant W. Hughes, 4th Cadet Battalion, Canterbury Regiment, is promoted to the rank of lieutenant. :: :: yi Second-Lieutenant T. 11. Lawn, Southern Depot, N.Z.A.S.C., is transferred to the Northern Depot. „ Boxing Tournament. The Garrison Sports Association is to be congratulated on its venture into the boxing ring. It was unfortunate that last minute scratchings upset the draw and, to a .certain extent, the smooth running of the tournament, but that is a circumstance that is very difficult to legislate for. The Chaffey Challenge Cup was won by the 4th Cadet Battalion and undoubtedly the youngsters put up some very good performances. It is seldom that the boxing fans get such excellent entertainment so cheaply, with some of the best amateurs in Christchurch in the ring, and if the standard can be maintained the next attempt of the association should be a startling success. Cadets in the Pageant. The 4th (Cadet) Battalion, Canterbury Regiment, has been asked to get 400 volunteers to work up a display of torchlight evolutions in connection with the forthcoming military pageant and ' tattoo. A call for volunteers on the parades last week resulted in over 600 coming forward. This is to be a most spectacular display and should be well carried out as the training for it is already under way. Z’Z Zrl 5$ Parades. . Parades are now slacking off as the permanent units are going into their annual training camps, and the Territorial camps dra wnear. The R.N.'Z.A. have already gone to their three weeks’ camp in Trentham, and after that teams will be selected to go into special training for the artillery drive in the pageants in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The leave season for the R.N.Z.A. is also at hand and what with that and the battery camps at Matarae in Otago and at Coalgate for the Christchurch units, the artillery office at the barracks is now closed until next April. The other permanent units, N.Z.S.C., N.Z.P.S., and N.ZAS.C. leave for Trentham at the end of this week. Parades for the 4th (Cadet) Battalion, Canterbury Regiment, are being carried on until December 16, after which date there will be a break until the third week in January. Although the barracks are otherwise occupied during the next two weeeks, parades for cadets will be held as usual. :: Mechanical Transpoprt and Petroleum. In view of the progress that is being made with mechanical transport and tanks, it must not be forgotten that the supply of fuel for them is the crux of the whole position. A lecturer in England recently made this very significant statement: —In general conversation and in the Press the strength of an army is often reckoned in bayonets and guns, but bayonets and guns are useless without an endless train of motor vehicles stretching for miles’ to the rear to keep the troops supplied with the thousands of tons of material which they are constantly using up. Without the Supply Train the troops could not fight for a day and the Supply Train cannot move a yard without petroleum; therefore, a most important branch of military operations, namely the supply of ammunition, provisions and stores to the troops in the field, is certainly dependent upon the supply of petroleum. « m Islington Challenge Cup. Last week Colonel M. M. Gard’ner presented to St. Andrew’s College the Islington Challenge Cup, which has been won by them for their rifle shooting during the year 1925-26. As previously recorded in these notes, St. Andrew’s Cadets obtained the remarkably fine average of 110.36 out of a posible of 120 points. The results of the night parading cadets are now to hand, but they have not affected the position. The night parading cadets have not the facilities for practice and coaching that the schools have, and it is rarely that they can effectively * compete with the schools. It has often been suggested , that a trophy should be obtained for competition among the night parading cadets only. Results: —B Company 4th (Cadet) Battalion Canterbury Regiment (Christchurch Cadets), average 84.80; New Plymouth Senior Cadets, average 81.35; Kingsland Senior Cadets, average 79.80. It is certainly a feather in the cap of B Company 4th (Cadet) Battalion, to have secured the highest average of any company of night parading cadets in the Dominion. Dates of Unit Camps. The following are the dates upon which the main bodies of units go into camp during the summer. Advance parties go in two or three weeks ahead and, in some cases, there are parties remaining for two or three days afterwards, to permit trainees to make up parades that they have missed during the year. All camps are of six days' duration, exclusive of days of arrival and departure. These dates are not absolutely final:— Cadets (Non-secondary), Burnham, January 10, 1927. Southern Depot N.Z.M.C., Te Oranga, January 15, 1927. Cadets (Secondary School), Burnham, January 26, 1927. Ist Battalion Canterbury Regiment, Burnham, February 2, 1927.

Southern Depot N.Z.A.S.C., Burnham, Februai'y 9, 1927. 10th Batter}* N.Z.A., Coalgate, February 15, 1927. , 9th Batterv N.Z.A., Coalgate, February 24, 1927. Southern Depot N.Z.E., Bu/nham, February 24, 1927. 16th Batterv N.Z.A., Coalgate, March 5, 1927. Ist N.Z.M.R. (C.Y.C.), Burnham or Coalgate, March 30, 1927. Casual Camp (all arms), Burnham, April 4, 1927. Antiquated Methods. On Friday last the Snow* Shield, won the previous .week, was presented to Christ’s College by Colonel Gard’ner. After the presentation, the cadets corps carried out an attack practice with blank ammunition in Hagley Park. The noise of the firing attracted quite a number of spectators. It is a pity that these lads, who carried out their work excellently, should be taught such antiquated methods as were practised on Friday. Frontal attacks in long lines have been forgotten long ago in modern military circle? and the “bunching” that occurred, apparently unchecked. was shocking,, to say the least of it. For many years now the infantry have been taught to attack, and defend, in depth, that frontal attacks are too costly to be undertaken except under most unusuaV circumstances, and that b}' the use of small parties working round the flanks, results will be obtained more easily and quickly. There seemed to be no attempt at control in bodies of less 'magnitude • than the platoon. It resembled an attack of a quarter, of a century ago. Wellington Regiment in Camp. Some 900 officers and men, comprising the Ist Battalion of the Wellington Regiment, left Wellington for Trentham last week for a week’s course of training under canvas. The first detachment, consisting of officers and non-commissioned officers, went through a “refresher” course of three days’ training before the arrival of the main body. On Saturday afternoon, by a special train leaving Lambton station at 2 p.m., the main body left. The men, who are under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel R. L. Evatt, will remain in camp until Saturday, November 27, by which time a comprehensive course of training will have been completed. This camp differs from those held by the battalion in previous years, as the men are living under canvas. The course of training, also, is somewhat different, as it leads up to a tactical scheme, which will be carried out on November 26. A rout# march will form part of this scheme, the men marching from Trentham to beyond Upper Hutt, where the major part of the operations will take place. There will be the usual entertainments during the course of the camp, pictures being shown nightly. The last night at Trentham will be given up to the customary camp concert. The Governor-General’s Tribute. A high tribute, to the discipline and exemplary conduct of the New Zealand soldiers, both ’ during the war and for some months .succeeding the signing of the armistice, was paid by the Gover-nor-General (Sir Charles Fergusson) when speaking, in'Auckland last week. His Excellency said: “I had the honour to have a-considerable amount to do with thevNejw. Zealand soldiers in France. The conduct, discipline, and fighting qualities of the Xsw Zealand troops were undoubted, but he had always maintained that it was their exemplary conduct after the signing of the armistice, especially at Cologne, that was most creditable. Immediately following the war there had been a period of ease and relaxation, the tendency being for the slackening off of discipline. It had been then, however, that the New Zealand troops had set an example to the whole of the troops in Germany at that time. His Excellency regarded their performance as a very great credit, and one which had been of enormous assistance in maintaining discipline among the troops. In reference to the Territorial officers, Sir Charles Fergusson said he always sympathised with them for the task they had to carry on was an uphill one. These officers had to deal with raw material, and had only a limited time to get. it into shape. His Excellency said he was delighted to hear of the progress of officers’ clubs. Clubs where lectures were given, and where officers got together were of great assistance to members. Such clubs served to carry on the oldest traditions of the Army. Queen Carnival. In connection with the Pageant next March, the 4th Cadet Battalion, Can terury Regiment, is organising a Queen Carnival, the proceeds of which will be divided equally between the Pageant and the 4th Cadet Battalion. In the ballot which took place for the c ostumes of the Queens of the ages, the Cadets drew the costumes lor Queen

\ ictoria and her five Maids of Honour The proceeds of the Queen Carnival wiU be devoted to the establishment and maintenance of non-commissioned officers and cadet social clubs, purchase of instruments and music and the general maintenance of the two Cadet bands. The sale of tickets is already organised amongst the 1600 UdMs wto will strive to have the C adet Queen crowned as Queen u£ the Pageant.