WAIHI HOME GUARD

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXXI, Issue 9755, 8 April 1942, Page 2

WAIHI HOME GUARD

UNDER CANVAS FOR EASTER WEEK-END

VALUABLE TRAINING

EXCELLENT CAMP ORGANISATION

A further phase in training B (Waihi) Company of the Home Guard was reached during the Easter weekend, when officers and men of tie local unit encamped at Waihi Beach. Primarily the camp was designed by Battalion H.Q. to test the efficiency of the staff in arranging and maintaining supplies for a body of men in the field, and this operation may be described as an unqualified success. Advance parties left 'Waihi on Thursday afternoon, and on arrival at the beach set about erecting the camp. The main body embussed at 9.30 a.m. on Friday, and when the camping area was reached found all tents erected and the cookhouse in full swing. No time was lost in shaking-down, and by mid-day active training was commenced. Major W. H. Stainton, M.C., officer commanding No. 3 Battalion, his second-in-command, Captain I. T. Fallwell (who was camp commandant), Captain C Hume, officer commanding D Company, and Captain V. Hollis, M.C. and Bar, officer commanying C Company, were in camp with the men. Captain W. N. Verry, officer commanding j B Company, was responsible for the • tra-'ring syllabus, and Lieutenant E. I H. McCarthny, battalion quarter--1 master, was in charge of the supply and victualling department. Associat'ed with the local men under canvas ' were a detachment of the Katikati 1 Mounted Home Guard, a section o! ■C Company (Waikino) and the Waihi ' Beach platoon, commanded by Lieu- | tenant N.. Whaley. Also in camp .was the ambulance detachment cori-mand-d by lieutenant E. A. WiNon. An average of SO men from Waihi j was in camp permanently, while I farmers who could not leave th*ir j dairy herds and local men who found it impossible to leave home for lengthy periods showed their willingness to train by attending daily, transport being provided for such out-of-camp trainees.

SPLENDID MEALS PROVIDED A feature of the camp was the splendid food provided by the cooks. Officers and men partook of the same rations and all meals were appetising and well served. One “complaint” was voiced when the orderly officer made his usual request, “Any complaints?” A member of the mess replied, "Yes,-sir; I’m complaining that I can’t get such a good meal at home.” From the permanent inhabitants and visitors to the Beach comes nothing but praise far the good behaviour and orderliness of the men, t.rd highly favourable comment on the discipline and general carriage of the Guardsmen was made from early r. erning till late at night by the interested gallery of spectators tint v.-atched the changing of the guard and the general camp routine be'ng carried out.

FINE SPIRIT OF THE MEN Although 75 per ce .t. of the men under canvas had never before exnerierced camp life, it was remarkable how soon they settled down, and there was evident from all quarters a great spirit of willingness and cooperation. Guard duties, picquets and fatigueq, generally the bugbear of a camp, were eagerly sought, and a true spirit of comradeship and esprit-de-corps was evident. Everyone took his responsibilities seriously, and seldom, if ever, was it neccsary to criticise the men’s efforts A short but impressive Divine Service was held on Sunday morning, the padre being the Rev. E. L. B. Gribble, while Sunday afternoon was free, and the camp was thrown open to visitors, who were not slow to compliment the men on the cleanliness of the lines and the neatness of their tents. The' most picturesque feature was, of course, the changing of the guard. Katikati furnished the initial guard and set a remarkably high standard of efficiency which the subsequent guards strove to maintain and the sentries, solemnly pacing their beats, came in for quite a lot of sometimes embarrassing idmiration.

ASSISTANCE APPRECIATED ’ Breaking camp commenced after lunch on Monday, and by 2.30 o’clock ’ all tents were down, the- area cle-ir- - ed and everything ready on the- trans- • port. An impressive final ceremony ' was held when the company was par- ; aded and the flag solemnly hauled 1 down after which the camp was d's- ' missed. It is only to be hoped that such a successful beginning will be the forerunner of a series of woll- ■ attended and still more efficient camps in the near future. The organisers of the camp tender their sincere thanks to those people who, by cash donations, the loan of tenls and cooking gear, and by gifts of food enabled the camp to be run so economically. ' PARADES IN NEAR FUTURE Training for B Company recommences with an n.c.o. class to-morrow (Thursday) evening at 7.30 o’clock. A shooting parade and bombing practice will be held at 2 p.m. next Saturday. Guardsmen will fall in at the Drill Hall. A full company I parade is called for next Sunday morning, April 12, at 9.30 o’clock, when an issue of greatcoats will be made to all Guardsmen in uniform, and after which training will be carried out until 1 p.m.