IN THE FIELD.

Waikato Times, Issue 12860, 6 May 1914, Page 4

IN THE FIELD.

ARTILLERY IN ACTION.

WORK OF TH!'; MAXIMS. t DAY WITH THE TROOPS. ] (By Telegraph.—Special Reporter.) , HAI'TAPI*. Last Night, r The hills art Mind Tainvhaiv reverber- , ated nil yesterdavtvith tin- boom of IS- ,. pound shells, as liny left the mouths of . the eight guns which formed flic A and « G Batteries, in an attack on an imagin- . aiy foe advancing ailing Scotchman's . Valley. The deadly shrapnel gyrated | through the :.ir. exploding over < 1 i^tnnt ] targets. A foe in reality would have . suffered very severely under the accu- . racy of the aim of the Auckland and t Hamilton -gunners. All the elevated , positions around the tiring base were 1 covered with groups of interested spec- - tators. ;md ilie operations gave one an 1 idea of the havoc which can lie wrought v hy these terrible implements of war. t The guns, lor the most part, were eon- • r-ealed in hollows, or behind knolls, ipiite ] outside the enemy's observation, the ■ operations being directed from a hill. . A curious ieature of the tactics was 1 that the gunners themselves could not I see where they were firing, and were r mm hie to watch the effect of their shots. . They were simply acting on instructions f sis to range, elevation and depression 1 given from the headnjiarterV stair by 1 means of signals. WITH THE ARTILLERV. I Tn .the general scheme, a force of ail amis of the "iieiny Inning retired up Scotchman's Valley, they were supposed I in have entrenched in a position in the vicinity of Shaw Brothers' farm. The r forces in cam) were ordered to attack | the enemy, and the A and (I Batteries , were detaded to supooit the infantry in ( ihe attack from a position in the 'vicinity nt' Kermis farm. The batteries came into action and engaged the sirtilk rv mi the enemy's side, defeating them end causing tl em to retire farther up , tin- valley. Both 'latteries were then ordered to t concentrate their fire on the enemy's ( entrenched infantry. They succeeded in their task. Having driven the enemy j from their entrenchments, they were r next or<lered to advance. They took up ~ a positon in the vicinity of the Cani- , bridge-Tail'v hare Road, where they again attacked some of the enemy's bat- , tones, which had reappeared. These. ( . however, were ipiickly silenced. All ai- , tack was then coninieti'-eil on the , enemy's infantry, which was retiring up I the Valley. These were routed, and r then tic attackim/ force was oidered to . l'ivonac lor the night. Major .Maidlaw. , of Au"k!aiid. Miporvisod the operations. . the I''!'..:' ! • heing i::111 • •;■ .Major Shersuit. , ( ':: i: i .• j i 11 tiilp hiving "liar:.;, o! the A i Batten -'nd Captain Voithcroft the G , ('alter,-. The shooting was very nccu- . rale, and the offieer in coinniawd was , very pleased w ith the display. So eii- ] tliusiastic did the men I otne in their . work that a halt was not even called i tor lumh. FOLLOW | \<. MACHIXK GENS. < hie oi the most Useful, efficient . and I , necessary branches ol the service is the inachine-gun section. So little, genei rally, is known o| its actual wink. however, thai its value as an einer- ; gellCV lorce Is not reengl! is. .i I to the • ! extent t ha', it deserves. (In act ive ser- - | '• ice I lie machine guns are here. ! here. ■ I ami even where, new n !ii ving a di-- ■ ! tressed battalion, anon mvi ring the re- - j i reat o: anot her w ii><r. , •■ charing ; In , | ground in;- Wie advaa'co ~: th< artillery. i I I he Maxims, w liicli are neat. coiiii pact. and ingenioii.s inioleniein s oi w ai - ; lare. resembic more the appearance ol . a teli scene on a t riood than a deadl.v weapon. They pack on the hacks m • hor-i s. and are galloped hack wards and lot wards to wherever their services - are reoililcd. A day in the field with them is miisi interesting, and it is a pifv that the general public cannot he given the henelits ol the instruction to he derived from the operations ol a battery o! machine guns. Vestenlav lee giuis were brought into uhiy on a stretch nl rugged country around the Camliridge rille hints, in suonort o| an iniantry coliiinn in an at tack noon the ridge At one stage the infantry were j driven hack and found it necessary to retire, the guns covering their retreat. Alter some manoeuvring, however, the enemy at last were heateii hack, their retreat heing signalled by a hail oi lead. The whole thing was most realistic., The crisp crackle of the guns pouring forth their storm ol l.ullet> at the rate iff .".Oil a minute, and Mending with tl chocs of the shots, caused a how ling like that of a fierce storm; and the toppling over of the targets and the ripping; no of the ground gave the onlooker a graphic idea of the griinness ol leal warfare. After the scheme had heen worked out the companies filed in the annual competition. Tin's involved running with horses and gun. a distance of Kill yards, unpacking and bringing the guns into action, and opening fire with I'-Vl rounds of ammunition on a row oh 2(1 falling olates. The :]n\ (Auckland! Mounted and the loth (North Auckland) Infantry teams tied for the final, hoth averaging l(i targets in 2min losec. The time covered the whole operation from start to finish. The final was won hy the loth (Auckland) team, who ripped down the whole of the allotted nuniher in an incredibly short time. INKANTRY SKIRMISH. The Infantry Brigade marched out promptly at !) a.m. and took up a position in the vicinity of a wooded knoll on the western side () f f'encourt. The Brigade formed into column of regimental masses without distances, and alter an address hy the Brigadier moved off via the south gate and in .the direction of Victoria road. An imaginary Id' was situated on the far side of tlm knoll. The 3rd. (Aucklandj and (ith (Hauraki) Rcginiotits formed the firing line, and the loth (North Auckland) and ltith (WaikatoJ were the general body. An advance position was taken at lunch-time, when a halt was called. After lunch the attack was continued. The enemy holding the firing-line in * check, which necessitated the reserves 1 heing utilised. It was discovered that - the enemy was of a greater strength 1 than the attacking force, and a retire- !■ , ment was ordered. This was com- 1 meneed by the 3rd and (ith Regiments, the loth and 16th Regiments covering their retirment until they had taken up s a defensive position:: The 16th then /1

moved to 11 position in roar, to hp employed as local reserves. At this point "(ease fire" was sounded, and the njH'iittions oersed. Captain \\ allingford, who was in charge or the Brigade, afterwards stated that the performance of the winning team was e(|iial to anything lit? had seen in the permanent forces. THE IJNE OK COMMUNICATION. The signalling corps had an exceedingly busy time in establishing lines of comniiiiiic :ti m. Tin so cover an area of shout -!') miles, encircling the country about tlie camp, irom Morrinsville to Matangi on the one side, along Scotchman's Vailey on another, and as far a- thi l Sanatorium in another direction. Blanch signalling camps have been established at these places, and constant cnmmunic.ition with headquarters is maintained I> v means of heliograph, flags, and '.nnps. In addition, electric lines have been laid to various stations, so that a • lircet line of communication can he kept open hetween the aimy in the field ;ind headquarters. 'I he signalling corps, i nder Captain Dawson, shows great efficiency. PHEPA KING THE KIKIJ). Probably the most difficult work, so far as m uiiial lahor is concerned, was carried out hy the Coast Defence and Engineers' corps, who were all day in the foothills digging decoy and lino trenches. and making </oneral pioparatioiis for the sham tight on Tnexlay. Those miMihers of the corps who are chiefy eng iged in the less streiiiioiiv flutics ot office iind sinftbir light work in the city, i'ou i<l the task an exceedingly tiring one. and one that did not altogether appeal to their inclinations. Their return to camp late in the afternoon was not marked hy the sprightly buoyancy »ith which they moved out in the morning N THE SADDLE. 'I lie Mounted Hi igade moved out to Mr Simpson's iarm to carry out hi igade drill, when they received word that the enemy was located in the hills above the Sanatorium. The 1 rigade in.mediately tornied into three columns and advanced on the enemy's position by dift'i rent routes. Each regiment provided foi its own protection by advance and rear guards, and these kept in touch with the main body of their respective columns en route. Scouts preceded the vanguard of the advance, and located the enemy. This terminated the scheme for the day. and the regiments concentiated and carried out brigade diill. GOVERNOR'S WARM PRAISE. 1 * CA M B DESERTED. ' PKII i'lM.ss A.ssOf lAT!ON. CAM Bl{ I!)(• I!. Wedm -day. The ciimp was praet icalj;. i!. ' -rted ' thi> morning. The tr0..,.; are out re--1 hearsing l-'ri lay's field opera; :< ris. (dori- - nils weather is being e\; i 1: i:•;a-i ■!. (■eiieral (oidlry telegraphs much - praise, forwarding a nioss ; >oe ji..;ii His '' Excellency, which should be ciii:\ , \ei| to 1 the troops .111(1 publishe.i. I lie (.'overlior was very phased with the appearance and steadiness of all ranks at par- ! ade tor the presentation o, lolnis on ' Sunday last, more especially in vii>w of the iiicieinent weather of the previous day. His Excellency wishes particu- - lariy to <-o:igrat ula t e the Office; I i.;• - ■ Handing ihe Auckland Di-tiict and - h:s s.t -i !i ~ii the 'dniirab!" ■n • n •i! i e!: t < that have a made and which eiisuri < I - the succex- ;:c!iieved.