MILITARY ENGINEERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 443, 27 February 1909, Page 8

MILITARY ENGINEERS.

1 THE HANDY MEN OF THE ARMY. ~ NO. 5 COMPANY, The military engineer is the handy man of the. army. Ho can build bridges and pontoon rafts; lay.mines, and blow a skirmishmg party of the enemy;sky-high; lay cables, build observatories, and do the hundred and one other things that require to.be do'n'o for a fpre© on active service: There are no workshops 'on,activo service; hence,tho engineer his' wits and mako tho best of what he can find in his immediate vicinity. An evehiiig in a military engineer com-' pany s instruction camp is an ; evening ;'. well spent—interesting and instructive. . ; The ;yicmity of. such a .cainp is.full,of sudden alarms . and. appalling' death-traps; so ' ,to speak, .and if ■ the ■■.•horrid realities. of war were actually present, it would be, as with Naples, a .case of visiting and then, dying. Tho.unwa.ry footsteps inay'in tiie;dark,;;trip i.pon' a : furtive wire which; trails ;; casually along ..to .'a. ''flare" alarm;, the\results are disconcerting., A bright .flare illumines, the. vicinity, turning night; into'day, and making .thb unwary,intruder - a target:.for rifle; bullets.. Or, _he may attempt a descent upon the neighbourhood and i step casually upon a -."fougasse".; :,frorii:,'sbmewhero a' .switch is conheotbdj.'thb ground heaves,.and the intruder, :in;.company' with;.a shower of boulders; is blown into the, : air. ; .',,.. ;.; A representativo ';of .The Dominion visited; the camp of-No..'6:.Company at tho Hutt ■Parkj last'evenihg, and Was: shown' round by 'Lieut. Gibbs, bificer commanding. .To judge from ihe- outward' and visible signs of their industry;■the'/engirieors have been kept hard at-.work.' •In one.part of,the ground stands "a field; observatory,;a composite, ■ spar: 50 feet ihigh, with a top-deck and hand-rail. Floating; on tho river; at the rear,of the camp is.. a: pontoon"- raft;: capable• of ferrying ,40 men, or a field gun..'During'thp period of. encampment, two successful explosions were carried out. .'Tlie. first, a "fougasse,"' <was' a' deadly affair; the ; ground was; tunnelled for,a: short: distance in, at.an angle'of 45 degrees, tnd v a'quantity." of'"'bricks and'boula.,ton—piled■'. on top. of : the charge,: which was then exploded;,the bricks and boulders,.some of,.them weighing.about 20 i poiihdsj. werehuiled into the 'air fori a 'distance: of. about" 100 feet,- and: scattered' in, all' a skirmishing ;partyl iThe" other,, a submarine bxplosion;;threw a column of water seventy-five;feot.in the;air;"."".-;f ■'~'.''.;■■ •.•."','•';...' ! -'-',-<■■?'■:■." '■'

-,;'.' A very smart -piece' of work was tho;fieldcable, laying; \Tho reel was placed' iri:a-oarfc,'. /and. with tlie.; mounted. cable .;Bquad'in.' i /...at-'' tendance,^set'," off at-the ■ trot 1 at: 9.10 |'p'.m.. There';were' several '"crossings," i.e., places ■where" : the 'cable) had 'to ;be placed out' -of [ .'reaqHVofthe ..traffic'.;,'. Five were "pble!" crpssihg'sj 'where poles .liad:to be erected tb'Jcarry . the ."-'wire'j'".'.threo.'i'.: were" crossings— trenched;', in ;•' .thp"'- 5 ground;; .arid.. one was .a .".tree,"'crossing,"'.fixed on a' tree.' ,• The total distancp iwas';.'four'^miles,'. 1 accomprished!;:ih minutes, ; a 'Doiriiniqn. record. T'Oho. .of•;the*','pdle's .was,erected-,in •The" return joiirney) • "reeling-up;". was V.then ma<\eVthe;total;time occupied coming and. go-.ih'g;\being'-2';hours;.ss' minutes—very':',sm'art',work'.;;;v. '■'.;/•-■'■/• '•.', l : ; ' : ■'■'•" ■•'•.■■ ■'.'•.•■•" :'.'■:'; : ' -'..-' '.' The work'is'of such -an .interestingj.character'that the men's enthusiasm.is' easily.kept; alive;';;but, behind: their;, ende.ayours,;.is;.a cbveted'-trophy,;, the New Zealand Engineer Volunteer:' Challenge Shield, .'for ~ efficiency,; .which::was ;.wrin;.by t the ,cempariy. last: year,', and;.,which', ■.hpp'o,';.will"'re-: .maih : .in-,_their.;possession : for,/another .year.; Cbmpotitiori. is: very keen/:'..this , yearj "and" rumour states ':[ .that 'a"southern -is making' strenuous" endeavours, to..takß::. the shield.from the-North Island.'' That.fe'maihs ,'te : be seen,^however/T'.r;,,;., v:'.; ..: -.The: camp was visited'last'..: evening;, by; Chief -of : !.the-Gbneral..-:Staff;' who• was .accompanied '-by ;Majof:;J: G. Hughes,- D.S'.O: -VAfter- insp'ec-. ::'tipn the .Chief of -,' Staff addressed. the ootathat'one of the'draw,w ; as: tho; want-Vof- a full-organised-staff: of; pffiiiers,; and -advised theni;. to elect >. a- company' /commanderI' at .present there-were only,-two'subalternj'efficers; pn .the: staff.; ..Heiccmplinierited them : bri'the useful,work they .had done, r-during- tho'- en-' .campment;: and;, hoped thafo'they 'woiild.•■'acquire the 'habit of. (itte'nding. toV details';: it' was;the'little things, that -.mattered.'•'.,'' '; '-."•!,'