ARTILLERY SHOOT

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21042, 19 February 1940, Page 6

ARTILLERY SHOOT

SECOND ECHELON TROOPS TREK TO WAIOURU CAMP HUNDREDS FROM HOPU HOPU Early this morning heavy Army tractors hauling artillery guns, and numbers of troop transport trucks, lumbered througn Hamilton on the way from the Hopu Hopu military camp to the Waiouiu mountain camp, near Taihape, where tiie sth Regiment of the New Zealand 1 leid Artillery and the 7th Anti-Tank Regiment will go into camp late this afternoon for several days’ advanced training and war exercises. In addition lo the large number of troops travelling by tne road transports, more than 400 officers and men travelled south by a special train. The sth Regiment leit Hopu Hopu at 5.45 o’clock this morning, the men having been early astir making final preparations for the journey. Half an hour later the 7th Anti-Tank Regiment left Hopu Hopu. It was expected that the soldiers who travelled by train will reach Waiouru about 4 p.m. today and the road transports about two hours later. Actual War Conditions The troops will carry out advanced training under actual war conditions in live shell shooting until Friday. They are expected to arrive back at Hopu Hopu on Friday night. Tactical training will also be carried out at Waiouru. The sth Regiment is commanded by Lieutenant R. E. Sleigh, and the 7th Anti-Tank Regiment by Major R. C. Queeree, R.N.Z.A. The 6th Regiment, New Zealand j Field Artillery, will remain in camp | at Hopu Hopu while the other units I are at Waiouru. ! The artillery units from Hopu j Hopu will be the first artillery of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary ; Force to use Waiouru camp for advanced training. Territorial artillery units which have carried out live shell shooting have found the area ideally suited. The artillery units of the first echelon carried out their live shell shooting on the Raglan Hills, as time did not permit training at Waiouru. Comments of Army Chief “For live practice with artillery, machine-guns, Lewis guns and j Hotchkiss guns, and trench mortars, there are no better facilities in New Zealand,” commented Major-General J. E. Duigan, Chief of the General Staff, when referring to the Waiouru camp recently. “This is an excellent site for advanced training in all arms, where it is possible to obtain co-operation between all units comprising a brigade,” he said. “Training in field work and fieldcraft with : battalion or regimental artillery i leaves nothing to be desired. It is ! admirable for teaching movement by

night over broken country, and in fact every phase of training required by the modern soldier.”