UNIFORMITY IN ARMY TRAINING

Camp News (Northern Command), Volume 1, Issue 5, 31 May 1940, Page 4

UNIFORMITY IN ARMY TRAINING

Series Of Demonstrations By Special Platoon MEN TO BE DRAFTED SOON AS INSTRUCTORS A series of demonstrations at mobilization camps in the three military districts is being given by a platoon of the New Zealand Regular Forces, trained at the Army School of In-' struction, Trentham. The ooject of the demonstrations is to brim: about uniformity in all branches of military training throughout the Dominion. The platoon consists of 23 men who have recently been trained at the Army School'as instructors and will shortly be drafted to camps to help train N.Z.E.F. troops.

Recently on the Army School parade ground the platoon gave a demonstration before third echelon troops from the Central District Mobilization Camp. All ranks attended a demonstration of squad drill and physical training in the morning, and in the afternoon officers and n.c.o.’s from the Mobilization Camp and some units no! available in the morning witnessed a repetition ,of the syllabus. The splendid physique and efficiency of the platoon are outstanding characteristics and the smartness with which they carried out all movements was impressive.

For the squad drill, they, were under the command of Lieutenant G. F. McCulloch, N.Z.P.S., and for the physical training demonstration under Staff Sergeant-Major W.0.11 W. C. Douglas, N.Z.P.S. Both these instructors will accompany the platoon on its visits to other camps.

In the squad drill section Lieutenant McCulloch explained the method for teaching recruits various elements of marching such as the halt, about turn right and left turn, and wheel, and so on. During the afternoon session the platoon carried out several movements at the request of officers and non-com missioned officers in the audmnee.

After the squad drill the platoon changed into shorts, canvas shoes ami gymnasium singlets for the physical training display. They carried out a large.number of exercises and also de monstrated several organized games IMPORTANCE OF DRILL. A short address on the importance of drill in military education was given by Major A. H. L. Sugden, N.Z.S.C., Officer Commanding the Army School, before the commencement of the morning demonstration. Soldiers were not taught drill just to allow officers and n.c.o.’s to . shout at them, but for three important reasons, he said. First, all military units moved from one place to another by orderly movement and that orderly movement could only be learnt by drill. Second, the teaching of drill on the barrack square laid the foundations of discipline, and the soldier learnt the importance of instant and instinctive obedience to orders. It had to be remembered that thorough training and good discipline meant fewer casualties in the field. Third, it taught selfcontrol and endurance.

Speaking of the physical training display, Major Sugden said that in the Army method .of teaching physical training, the object was not to produce bulging muscles, but to teach a man to move quickly and to produce in the soldier stamina and endurance. The physical training tables were designed to develop harmoniously every part of the body, including the heart and lungs (the most important) and other internal organs. Stressing the value of physical fitness, Major. Sugden said it was no use troops being expert , with the weapons with which they were armed if they were not in a fit state to use them when they arrived at the place where they would be used. i- Thf attainment of physical fitness lie with yourselves,” he said. “Your ! instructors will teach you physical ex-

ercises and show you how they are performed, but the results on your own body depend on yourselves. In I other words, it is up to every individual man to put his best into it. You officers and n.c.o.’s should ask your men to do the exercises themselves and not wait for the physical training period. They should regaid it as a point of honour to make themselve physically fit. TRAINING OFFICERS CONFER. '' . I On Tuesday and Wednesday, 21st and 22nd May, the staff officer responsible for training in each mobilisation camp, and officers commanding district schools of instruction, assembled at the Army School, Trentham, to watch certain demonstrations by the platoon and to exchange ideas on methods of training. Lieutenant-Col-onel A. E. Conway, N.Z.S.C., General Staff Officer, and . Lieutenant-Colonel J. R. Sherston, Army Headquarters, were present, and officers in attendance were as follows: —Northern District: Major W. Murphy, M.C., N.Z. S.C.; Major D. E'. Bremner, M.C., N.Z.S.C. Central District: Lieuten-ant-Colonel A. S. Wilder, D. 5.0., M.C., V.D.; Lieutenant-Colonel L. H. Jardine, D. 5.0., M.C.; Major J. W. Barry, N.Z.S.C.; Captain J. M. Reidy, N.Z. S.C. Southern District: Major A. J. Moore, N.Z.S.C.; Captain R. J. Eyre, N.Z.S.C.