INSPECTION OF CADETS AND SHAM EIGHT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20085, 20 May 1914, Page 8

INSPECTION OF CADETS AND SHAM EIGHT.

A cold, biting south-easterly wind I>lew direct from the sea-over the un--dulatine territory known as the Wanganui Golf Links,* where General Sir lan-Hannl-O 1, Inspectcr-Ueneral of tire wev~ seas Forces, reviewed the fWanganui -Senior Cadets. Despite the unpropiiious weather, a "large number of-the public assembled at -tho links, and watched the. manoeuvres with much interest. Fully, six hundred. Tcadets mustered at the Drill Hall at" 1 p.m., and lined up in quarter - column ' ■foTmatsop. They consisted of the follow-" ■ ing companies:—Wanganni College Cad- ( •ets, Nos. 2 6 and 12 Companies; Wan- ,' ganui No. 1, No. 1O Company; Wahgaxui No. 2, No. 60 Company; Wanganui Boy Scouts, No. 61 Company; Wanganai "Jklarist Brothers' School, No. 62 Coin- ' pany ; Wangamii Technical College, No. 109 Company; OMarton. No. 46 Com- « pany1; Wangaehu. No. 47 Company. ' l' With the Queen Alexandra's .Own 2nd Mo imted Regimental Band at the. head, .the column marched toe three miles to the review ground. Half way they halted and rested for a few minutes. When "they reached the .parade,ground the -cadets, were served with^ Bgtit- refresh- , inenfe*"- They were the^i urawn^ont into column formation and^aarehsd over tho ' i ills and placed in pcsii:ci\ i:i prepnra- ; lion for the sham fight. This took some time, for the area occupied- by tha lads was over a mile square. The country was cf a very rough nature, admirably, ■suited for- skirmisaiug. Practically the - whole of the operations could be1 witness~ed by the public from >nn eminence overlooking the review ground. Two liillsgrith a. valley between were tho Tarin&ijKir features of the skirmishing areas. They were, covered with thick bracken. The plan of cainpaiga provided that the hill on which the public stood was supposed to be held by 390 infantrymen entrenched These were represented .by red fla^s a^cl a few of the cadets.,. The battalion marched r:ght - through to;the' rendezvous, .and extend--ed out inio two lines of fire. When the signal was given to advance two -companies proceeded under cover to follow the ridgs en tho right side of the valley, and two companies occupied *ihe left ridge. The'-suitability of the khaki uniform as used by the cadets was admirably demonstrated during the campaign, the boys being scarcely distin-^ guishable in the Brack"en. v "Font of the" .; ~ coilipanies fcheQisely€,3 ; coming 5 ! ■■■.'■ along, the' opeja,;.Trolley feiyatds"the fill!: : ;■. Ih&t was,!tt be taken.-'^roiv^^id^lO** y: companies came up oa theleft fiank^ with.!; ■^'fele^r'tsi-kn'of e. -^ -Sir Ikn Mamilton and';'. -**rsta^f..;%ll of"whdm were mounted, Juovetl,"^ among the cadets, and watched their. 1 'Operations- The hill was taken in good , "tune..: •' ■ ■-■■ ■■■■•[ ' •■:•'•'■•■■*. '•■■■- '"" >'.. | After the skirmish the^ cadets lJn*eds ? 3jp in qiiartei* column forniation on the parade ground on the fiat below Bellaoat homestead. Some, twenty-Vet-1 -eranfev. under Major Lomax, lined up on the left, and over thirty South African service "meti, under Cautain Cameron, J the1, right. The Q^O.A.M.H. . Band, under Lieut. Buckley, and the Boy: Seoirtfe, under Scoutmaster Tholn- • -as; were also represented. His Worship i the Mayor (Mr. T. B. "Williams), Mrs. ' AViliams, 'Mrs. Mackay (prime mover in connection with the Challenge Cup -scheme), /a^d the members cf the Bcr- ' ongh iCouneil, made up the top end of "the. square. Surrounding the formatlqn^were the public. On a table ia the centre, covered with the Union Jack, : Tveio the Ladies' Challenge Cups and medals. ' Sir. I?.n Hamilton and General Godley and staif niet the Veterans and the South, African service men, and spoke kindly to them, inquiring of the regiments lo which tHey had belonged and <t the engagements in which they had xaken part. ' ' ■. ■ The presentation _ of the fine silver cups to the winning cadets in -the shooting competition then took plac<;, Sir lan Hamilton handing ever the trophies. The recip;enis vcevo as rbi::ttvs:...X-~. 2 jDompany. Cadet T. C. Thompson: No. 6"Company, ' ■Cadet C. V. Pearee; No. 12. Company, ■Cadet H. J. .Atkinson: No. 1-0 Company, Sergf. R. A. Watkins; No. 60 Company. Cadet C. A. Grecnvde-; No. <31 Company, Cadet F. J. iMcMinn; No. <52 Company, Lance-Corp. V. Bott^ No. 109 Company, Cadet C. Handley; i\o. 46 Company, Sergt. C. W. McKenzie; ro. 47 Company, Cadet O. D. Clark. Sir lan Hamilton 'pinned to the breast cf tho 'Veteran, Col-Sergt. Forsyth, a lonp: «nd meritorious Imperial service medal, and to MajoriJ. Batten, a long -and. meritorious New ,Zealatid service medal. ■ Hearty applause-was given. Tho frupoctor-tleneral and staff then "walked up and down the lines, inspecting the cadets. . • I Upturning to the centre of the square, Si'1 lan Hamilton addressed the bat--talion.. He humorously remarked at the ■outset, a& he pointed to his breast, that silver ia the pocket was better than silver on the breast. The Empire had issued about, three-quarters cf a million medals* The Inspector-General remarked that he was going to spend than r.ight wiih a school headmaster*, who made education his life's business. Education ho added, was a good thing, but tho education that the cadets had had that flay m the field was far better tnan Ihat to be leaiMed in schools, for they • "had been learning how to defend their iionip" and their country. It wasn't the •cost of firing a few blank>eartridges that ivas to hp considered. Keferring to the sham fignt. Sir lan Hamilton said the , maTior_jiyre.? were higlitv satisfactory. II« spoSe Tn criticism of the action of those \ cadets who had exposed themselves to the erieur.as' fire by rushing up the open j valley instead of keening to the cover of • the hilly""ground. This mistake would in warfare have cost the battalion many valuable lives There was not sufficient cover in the flat to hide a mouse, he said, let alcno-a cadet. Sir lan snxl. too, thafc the iSoorit=!. as ibov advanced, fihonltl have cone back to th(j.ixiain )hdy iiriiid of stopping. Many of them T.oidd have been shot I>y iheir own men. Concluding ho .<w:d that when the cad•ets had made tb^ir rushes, they did not give the men wnena lacy were assiiitrcg

with covering fire, sufficient time to cpea fire. "Be sure/ he said," addressing the 'cadets, " you don't take your rushes before you take the covering fire." ' ••■"■■ When, the Inspector-General had done speaking, the Mayor called for lures, cheers for him. These were heartily ";iven by the whole concourse. ' The cadets formed into column order, marched past, and proceeded in that) manner to town. On the way the battalion was met by the Garrison Bund, who accompanied it back The cadets disbanded at the Drill nail, jmd thus concluded the military manoeuvres of that day.