MILITARY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1061, 25 February 1911, Page 15

MILITARY NOTES.

[Edited Br Echelon.] COMMONWEALTH MILITARY COLLEGE. RAILWAY TRANSPORT AND DEFENCE, In continuation of.the work begun in London by Mojor-General lload in 1909 in connection, with tho Imperial General Staff (says tho Melbourne "Age"), it has been arranged that tho War Office experts shall, set ' and mark tho papers in futuro for most of tho subjects in, the exniiiinntions for tho promotion of lieutenants, captains, and majors in tho Australian permanent military forces. Tho subjects excepted from this arrangement aro those connected with "organisation and administration," which relate to purely Australian knowledge. Tho- first examination for promotion to tho rank of lieutenant-colonel will bo held in Slay next, and thereafter half-yearly in May, and December. j Tho regulations governing the administration of the Military College, now ill process of erection nt DunbroonV in tho federal capital territory, havo been approved by the Commonwealth Executive Council (reports the "Age")., In most of the matters of major' importance tho regulations aro complete, but as regards the provision in the Defenco Act enabling aaiy, officers of tho forces on passing the prescribed examination and obtaining tho consent of the Governor-General-in-Council, to enter the collego they aro as yet only of a genpral character. This provision really upsets tho original scheme of- the college, which had in view an institution designed for youths under 20, and not for adult .officers.. Parliament, however, insisted on opening tho door to militia and other officers, who might desire.- to obtain a collego graduate's certificate. Tho Minister of Defence stated that the additional regulations giving effect to the will of Parliament,! prescribing tho nccessary examination and laying . down tho conditions bn which the assent of tho Governor-General in Council would bo given to tho admission of others than duly examined cadets to tho college,, would bo drafted shortly, and an examination under them -would be held towards tho ond of the present-year.. Tho ctfairiination. of the young candidates for admission to the college now proceeding in Melbourno and elsewhero is being conducted in accordant with the plan-adopted by, tho Ministry prior to tho intrusion of tho now-famous Hoberts amendment to tho Defence Bill,

"While things are calm it is fitting that you, gentlemen, should bo called together so. that" if. war should - como; we may havo your plans for our assistance." In tlieso words tho Minister for Defenco (SenatorTearce) summed up tlib situation when formally opening the War Railway Council at the-Victoria Barracks recently. The Minister went on to say that in making arrangements for tho transport in time of war of tho troops tliero was no desire on ■ the part of the Federal Government to intorfero with tho States' affairs. Tho manner in which tho Statos' Governments had responded to., tlio invitation-of tho Commonwealth, and had deputed the principal railwayofficers in tho - respective States to form patt .of tho War Council, .was sufficient indica-. tion .of tho, recognition of the States that they wore all serving tho same people; The Jliilisfcr (states the Melbourno "Ago") proceeded to remind the council of Lord Kitchener's observation that the railway system at present was much moro likely to bo serviceable to on in--vader than to tho defenders of Australia. It was, therefore, all tho. more necessary that tho railway .plans for . dcbe carefully .considered .111; anvahce. After tho Minister's -£uJdress 1' tHe council sot in private. It consists or the following:—Colonel Leggo (quarter-nmstcr-senornl), Commander. Richardson, Major IT. A. Wilson (director of tt-aining), Colonel Owen (engineer of the military forces), Mr.- Henry Deane (consulting engineer to tho Commonwealth Govern-ment),-Mr. T. It. Johnson (Chief H#ilways Commissioner, New South Wales), Mr. W. l'itzpatrick (Chief Railways Commissioner, Victoria), Mr. J; !'• Thallon (Railways Commis-sioner, Queensland), Jlr. A. 13. Moncrieff (Railways Commissioner, South Australia), Mr. J. T. Short (Railways Commissioner, Western. Australia), Mr. J. M'Cormack (fioncral monagor of the railways, • Tasmania). Captain 1. H. Dodds, D.5.0., is secretary to the council. ■' »•

"W® are informed on good authority (says.the "Military Mail*') that tho transport section of this A.R.C. will very soon undergo a complete- change. It is saiu that tho present system .is at least twenty years behind tho times, and 111 order, to bring (this department up to concert pitch, sweeping alterations will bo made. Our Army has, unfortunately/ always • teen n copyist.- Ever smco. tho great Frederick was "tho drill-instructor of . Europe" this country has looked to tho armies of other nations for a lead, ilns tiino it is said that our neighbours across the Channel are to bo the models for our '•Army Scrvic* Corps-hitherto regarded as fnultlcfs. With Franco for a model tho organisation of ■ this arm will no 'tloubt be tho subject for considerable .discussion. , Generally speaking, tho purpose and organisation ot the Army Sorvico Corps is not very clearly grasped in New Zealand, and the fact that tho Government has arranged' for the appointment of an Imporial Staff Officer to thoroughly organise in' New Zealand the work of this ; highly important branch of tho Service, serves to introduoe a reference to tho Army Service Corps as a topic ' of ■ interest. In the last filo of tho "Military Mail , appears an interesting review of tho organisation and work of the corps, lho transport' that' aecorcpanies Bold units (savs the-writer of the article) is known as 'regimental transport, and tho amount of this which must nccompanv wch unit , is fully laid down in War Establishments. ' This regimental transport is under the orders of tho commanding officer of the unit to which it belongs, and is usually " in chargo of. a subaltern, who is assisted by a sergeant. This ollicer is responsible for tho discipline on tho lino of march. . Such regimental transport is divided . into what is known as tho first and second lino transport, the first line, which forms an integral part of tho war organisation of a fighting unit, accompanying it wherever it goes. Thus the first line transport of un infantry battalion would 'consist of six-S.A.A. carts, ono Maltese cart for medical-equipment, 0110 wagon containing tho tiyo maxim Runs, and their tripods, eight pack mules cacli carrying two boxes ol -small arm ammunition, and eight pack mules carrying entrcnch-iu-t tools. As can be seen, all these form part of tho fighting material of a unit, and must be at hand nt all times. The drivers, for this first 11110 transport are 'men taken from tho unit itself, and fully trained :in tho tactical duties of that "i'lio second line transport consists of stores and supplies nccessary for the subsistence, of tho unit, and although under tho comniaml of the transport officor of tho unit, its drivers aro supplied bv tho Army Service Corps. Although under ordinary conditions it, would remain as near to its unit as possible, not being required for tactical.purposes. It would, when an action was imnnnont, . be relegated to tho rear, so as to economic road space. Such second I 111; transport would carry tho officers kit, waterproof sheets, camp kettles, 0110 day s rations for all ranks, one days forago for the animals, and o few spare articles such as boots, horse shoes, etc., to supply deficiencies. In the case of an infantry battalion this would consist of two water carts and' four- general servico wagons, oa-h drawn by four horses. Behind the regimental transport conies the domain pure am) simple of the Army Service Corps, in the shape, of tho divisional transport and supply columns, from which tlie regimental wagons, draw their supplies; theso columns ere in turn filled up" from either advanced .depots or from transport and sunnly parks. 1 On enoh horse or man is carried the current dav's ration, which has boon isI sued overnight, together with an eiuerirencv rntion, for use in extreme necessity. In tho regimental wagons aro carried 0110 comnlote ration of food for men and hordes, together with n second grocery ration! and a eerta n amount of com. I prcued forage. Tho trawport and supply

column carry 0110 (lay's ration o£ food tor ovcry man, anil of grain for every horse, in tho division to which thev boloiie, and in addition ono emergency rntior. per man. As a goneral rule, and if at all possible, ono day!s sunnly of slaughter cnttLt> will be drivon with tfio supply column. Tho transport anil supply linrk, one of which is allotted to each division, contains threo days' rations for • men mm horses, and is divided into throe completo self-contained Fictions, each carrying one day's supplies for the forces which it serves. The bakery detachment which forms nart of tho park, is divisible into six bakery sections of oighl ovena each, and can turn out bread for 22,500 men daily. : Before going into camp, tho transport officcr should further sec that his men alO well instructed oh tho following points, which could easily bo done in about pix lectures:— (1) llow to groom a horse. (2) Cato of Imrness and saddlery. . (SJ Forago and feeding. (4) Caro of horses in it.inp. (5) Care of horses on- the lino of inarch. (IS) Elementary veterinary ■ hints. -, In cainp tho greatest caro should bo taken that tho instructions given during training season lire carefully adhered to, and every driver should be riindo to feel his personal responsibility,' thnt is i that ho is responsible in every way that every article of 'equipment belonging to his horse is lcept. in. clean and serviceable state, that tho collars and saddles are properly fitted,. that his horses are regularly watered and fed, aud also properly groomed and shod.