INSUBORDINATION IN A REGIMENT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 1814, 22 July 1891, Page 6

INSUBORDINATION IN A REGIMENT.

The 3rd Regiment of Victorian Rifles (Ballarat) has had a narrow escape from disbandment, owing to -the insubordination of its members in refusing to parade on one or two occasions recently when ordered to do so. The trouble has arisen owing to some ill-feeling which has existed between the men and their drill instructor (Sergeantmajor Garland), and, as a result of inquiries made by a board, it was found that there was a conspiracy on foot to compel the drill instructor to vacate his position. At first it was determined by the Council of Defence to disband the regiment ; but it was afterwards decided that if the men most at fault acknowledged their error this extreme step need not be taken. Major-general Tulloch went to Ballarat on Thursday, however, with full authority*© disband the regimen if he thought proper, and what then occurred is worth relating. A special parade was called, and there was a muster of 366. As soon as the ranks were formed the regiment waß placed in close column, and the majorgeneral at onre took the opportunity of making an address which was calculated to stir the heart of any soldier. He said he had gone to Ballarat on one of the most distressing duties that had ever fallen to his lot, the performance of which caused him great pain. He had ever looked upon the men of tbe 3rd Regiment as an exceptionally fine body of men, and at camp had envied Colonel Greenfield for having a regiment of which he must have felt exceedingly proud. He had felt, when watching them, that he would have liked to have taken them over the Old Country and shown his broad-shouldered Welsh regiment what sort of soldiers Ballarat possessed. He credited them with the finest feelings of honor and esprit de corps, and had believed that he could have moved them with his little finger. When he took charge of his regiment at Pietermaritzburg, in South Africa, during the Boer war, he told his men that his ideas of soldiers differed from those of many other officers. He believed in treatißg every soldier as a gentleman, and every man when he had the uniform on his back Bhould merit the treatment due to a gentleman. He did not believe in such a strict enforcement of regulations as to impair the efficiency of a force, but would rather give an amount of liberty which would tend to make true soldiers gentlemen of honor. He would punish any man severely who got drunk during the day, or who by any dishonorable action brought discredit on the uniform he wore; and, on the other hand, he would never fail to recognise the opposite qualities. The result of his treatment was that the regiment became one to be proud of, and if any wrong took place he had only to stand in front of his men and ask whoever was guilty to acknowledge bis offence, and the latter would invariably stand forward. As an illustration, he remembered on one occasion a Kaffir coming to him and complaining «that he had been hammered by one of the regiment, whom the could not recognise. He (the general) asked the man, whoever he was, to stand forward and acknowledge his offence, and immediately one of the privates came out. When an action with Boers was on one occasion imminent the men were sent out at three days' notice, and they literally lived with their rifles in their hands, and expressed disgust that the action did not take place. True Boldierly qualities could only be possessed as accompaniments of honorable and gentlemanly ones. Coming to their own case, then, they could understand what his feelings were when he became aware of the recent insubordination amongst a regiment of which he had felt so proud. As he had said, when they were in camp he had believed, and he believed still, that he could movs them with his little finger, and he had felt only too proud to have them under his command. Imagine, then, the shock he experienced when, while in Queensland, someone produced a paper, and read therefrom the account of their actions. He refused to believe it, saying it was only some newspaper rumor without foundation. He had felt broken-hearted to think that the discipline had gone from so fine a corps. For several nights he had been unable to sleep, so deeply did the grief of their disgrace affect him. After long and anxious consideration he had concluded that there was nothing for it but disbandment. When he went Home it wonld be a terrible thing to him to know that a corps existed that could show such disaffection. The Council of Defence had urged the seriousness of such a step as disbandment ; but he had answered that any other course would leave the discipline of the Victorian forces in danger. Unless the 3rd Regiment were disbanded they would require to get another commanding officer. However, he had given the matter further consideration, and had eventually agreed to give them one more chance. Those who had taken part in the marching on the night in question, or who had prevented or influenced a soldier from taking part in the parade, must hand themselves over to him to take such punishment as he might decide upon, otherwise the regiment must be disbanded. He would ask those referred to to shoulder their rifles and step to the rear. For about a minute nobody stirred, and the general was about to declare the regiment disbanded, when . Captain Bennett stepped forward, and stated that he did not think the men properly understood what the general meant. He asked that the captains should be allowed to Bpeak to their men. The general consented, and retired to one of the officers' rooms. Lieutenant-colonel Greenfield then appealed to thoße who were guilty to take^the responsibility of their actions, and thereby save the regiment ; the appeal had its effect, and fifty-one men Btepped from the ranks. Major-general Tulloch again came in, and addressing the latter, said: "Men, the other night you were guilty of one of the gravest offences against military discipline. I know that you are young soldiers, and I made allowance therefor, but you must recognise that the first essential in the military ranks is discipline. In the old days they would have called you out and shot you down for your offence. I have had occasion myself to take the law into my own hands and have men put to death, but I am now proud of you, for you have come forward and dared everything in defence of the honor of your regiment. I must punish you but at the same time I desire that your names should be taken down for the soldierly honor you have Bhown in this your latest action." The punishment which has since been meted out to the men is a suspension of two monthß. The regiment has already been suspended two months, which means that the members have in effect been fined L 1,200,, 200, and in the case of tbe men sentenced to further suspension the loro of pay will be tantamount to a fine of L 5 each.