THE ENEMY AT THE GATE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 58, 2 December 1907, Page 9

THE ENEMY AT THE GATE.

VOLUNTEER FIELD TACTICS. : It is a fundamental principle, of military training that men must be examined over every varioty, of --.country—flat.. hilly,, andwooded. Tho configuration of tho Wellington ■district, however, does not lend itself to.tactics other than hill-fighting. The trained lull-fighter is superior to tho- pth.ersy. as.-'the Afridi tribesmen unmistakably . dcnqnstratcd. to us in our frontier campaign in the northwest of India. Tho AVellington volunteer, 'byreason of his environment-, must tend to become a specialist in hill-tactics,, and, as such, will represent a high standard of, efficiency. His experience in other varieties of country, however, must necessarily be limited', and in this respect ho will lack that knowledge, which, added to his own, would make him,-a good all-round -fighting-man. The valuo. of: frequent exorcises in field tactics cannot bo over-rated, for, in work of this kind, qualities of initiativo' and resourco are cultivated, and tho men becomb. familiar with tho configuration of the country,■ -and its: valuo to them in attack and defence. On Saturday afternoon the AVellington Rillo Battalion went through some' interesting aiid instructive munccuvres"on tho hills lying to the-south of New-town Park. .PLAN OF THE MANOEUVRES; The general idea of tho manoeuvres was that. a raiding party, represented by the Post and Telegraph lliflos, had' landed at Houghton Bay, to tho east-ward of Island •Bay, and was known to bo advancing to attack Nowtown. Orders had been issued to tho officer commanding tho Rillo Battalion to take measures for the dpfenco; having held tho enemy, an attack was to bo made upon their position, and an 'enveloping movement carried out,, tho object- being to capture tho raiders. - , . . A line of defeneo, limited on. tho west-by, tho Home of Compassion at .Island Bay,' ..and' on tho cast-by tho Lyell Bay Beach, was :to be taken up, -tho defenders to -halt, under cover of Mount Albert and tho spurs-which 'flank it on either sido. Tho various companies woro disposed at tactical points along tho lino of defeneo. - The. City Rilles woro ordered to occupy tho knolls on the west of Mount Albert, their position including tho Island Bay Road. Tho Guards woro on tho left, between tho knolls and tho saddle of the principal-peak. Tho Kclbunie Rifles were instructed to advance along tho road south-of Mount Albert, and'to occupy the south-westorn ridgo. The Civil Service Rifles and tho College Rifles wer.o detailed as a general reserve. Tho Zealandias held the eastern flank from the Queen's Drive to tho, top of tho ridgo, while tho Highlanders: wero ordered to keep in ; touch. with ..tho . Zealandias on tho left and-tho Kelburne-.Rifles on tho right;. -The disposition of-dofeiico was admirably conceived. Tho main-position : was the hill on - ,which, the\house-namixl " Scandoro Collis " is* situated. From this point threo ridges, almost parallel, ran towards tho sea. Tho attack by tho raiders, to bo successful, would develop along all three. The contral ridge was tho key to-tho main position occupied by tho defenders; whilo those on - the flanks wore subsidiary ridges, which' offered admirable supports to tho main attack, ajthough, at the same time, they could bo subjected to ;in enfilading - or cross-liro from the flanks of-tho defenders; j THE ATTACK. About 3.15 p.m.,..the defenders, got into touch 'with 'tho enemy, and a,, feint attack was mado by the! raiders (in tho.main position. At tho outset tho attacking party mado an..irretrievable error in neglecting: to occupy, tho .subsidiary ridgo"to the'west of.th'o main line of advance.'. Tho. be'-' ciipicd tho- ridge, Tind rapidly, worked xpiind,tho loft flank of tho enemy. The X&ilandias)' on the eastern flank, rapidly obtained a. position in tlie, rear of the attacking force. In carrying out tliis movement, however, they lost touch,ivith tlipir' supports,-and- a diversion in their.direction ..by,.,a detachment of' tho onomy-;would..-,pr'obably- : h'avo resulted .in. their annihilation.. . ' ,' Addressing'tho. staff oil tho result of. tho manoeuvres,, i Lieutenant-Colonel ■ Bauchop, Officer. Commanding "the District, considered'that tho scheme of advance in small columns, adopted by tho defenders was not a strong one. Advance in columns belonged properly to army corps. Tho scouting did not appear to have boon systematic enough. The operation, orders woro excellent, and' the general disposition of tho units provious to tho action was very good. . Ho complimented the staff oil. the work done j and throw: out 1 Several suggestions with regard to- scouting: and' onvoloping movements.' Captain ; T. : W. M'Donaldj' -Assistant Adjutant-General;- was also' present. Lieutenant-Colonel Diithio, commanding the battalion, superintdlKled tho operations. The manoeuvres concluded -about 5 p.m. ■