TROOPS GIVE FINE DISPLAY

Camp News, Volume 1, Issue 42, 27 September 1940, Page 7

TROOPS GIVE FINE DISPLAY

Wellington Regiment On Parade INSPECTION BY CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF Giving a splendid display of marching and arms drill for their inspection by the Chief of the General Staff. Major-General Sir John Duigan, C.8.E., at Spriggens’ Park, Wanganui, on Saturday morning, all ranks of the Ist Battalion, Wellington Regiment (City of Wellington’s Own) were complimented by Major-General Duigan in a short talk. He said that the army authorities had two jobs in hand, the training of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. and of a home defence force of 44,000. The regiment came in the latter category, and if all the men trained in the future were as good as those he had inspected

that morning he would be quite satisfied. Before he inspected the battalion and took the salute in the march past, Major-General Duigan had a short look at the camp at the Wanganui racecourse, and expressed the opinion that it was a good, clean camp. The parade strength was 643 and drawn up in mass formation on the oval of the park, the battalion made a fine sight in brilliant sunshine. From a spectacular viewpoint the highlight of the inspection was the present arms with fixed bayonets. The battalion was under LieutenantColonel A. L. George, officer commanding, with Major F. L. G. Mackenzie, E.D., second in command. There were 30 officers and 613 other ranks. MajorGeneral Duigan made a careful inspection of the battalion and took the salute from the ground in front of the stand centre. The band of the Wellington-West Coast Regimen played for the inspection and march past. There was keen public interest in the occasion, and the troops were given continuous applause during the march past. Because of his time in Wanganui being limited, Major-General Duigan was unable to take the salute from the arranged base in Hatrick Street, and some hundreds of people, including a moving picture cameraman, did not get their expected view of the battalion on the march.

The “All Clear!” had sounded ana people were filing from the air raid shelter. “Lot of frightened sheep,” scoffed a sceptical young man. “All dashing in there as fast as their legs could carry them. Why, I was in bed when the siren went. I shaved, washed, dressed and then strolled down to this shelter.” “Is that so?” said the Bright Young Thing. “But aren’t your legs cold without your trousers?”