HIGH SCHOOL CADETS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 50, 20 February 1945, Page 5

HIGH SCHOOL CADETS

ANNUAL BARRACKS

MAJOR GENERAL'S INSPECTION

For the boys, in the secondary department of the Whakatane District High School last week was "barracks week," given over to military training. The boys, did not go under canvas as is done at Rotorua but '9 i devoted the ordinary school periods to the course. The training included squad, platoon, and company rifle exercises, weapon training with rifle, Bren and Vickers . machine guns, and was carried out by the school officer and N.C.O.s> some of whom have recently returned from courses at the District School at Narrow Neck with the aid of two Permanent Staff instructors. The recently completed miniature rifle range at the school proved its usefulness and on the last three days of the course was constantly in use.. During the week various staff officers visited the school to see for themselves the work being done. On Monday the visitors were Lt.-Col, Brooke Major Cuming, and Lieut. Johnson' from District Headquarters, and on Thursday the Area Officer Lieut.-Col. Oli pliant arrived. The climax of the week was- the visit on Friday afternoon of the Officer Commanding the Northern Military District, Major General Bell, and his successor Brigadier Williams, who inspected various squads at work and then took the salute as the company marched past. In a short address to the company Major General Bell said how pleased lie had been with the cadet training he had seen in various parts of the district. and thanked teachers and boys for the enthusiasm they had put into it. He stressed the value of the work from the boys' point of view ? and also* from the national aspect. On the final afternoon the lads put up a good performance, which indicated that the week's work had been well worth while.