CAMPS REVIEWED.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1386, 12 March 1912, Page 3

CAMPS REVIEWED.

THE WORK OF THE GUNNERS. All the artillery units in the Wellington district have now undergone their annual training in camp. The following is a list of the units, with the places of enenmp-ment:-D Battery I'eild Artillery (Wellington), ]'' Battery Field Artillery (Napiei'), and J Battery Field Artillery (Pnlnierston), at Orinf-i; Nos. 3, 5, and 9 Companies, Wellington Garrison Artillery, at Forts Ballancs, Kelburne, and Dorset respectively. Interviewed, the- Director of Artillery stated that the camps have been successful in every way. With the exception of D Battery "of Field Artillery and No. 5 Company Gamson Artillery (formerly the l'etono Nuyals), practiolly all tho men at the beginning of tho cninps had b»sn recruits. All hands hadchoweveiy buckled to with a will, and, by tho end of tho week's camp, had mide good progress. Each unit lad carried out instructional practice in firing, except .1 Battery, I'almerston, who )»:ul no Runs till their arrival in camp. The shooting was accuratp but slow, as, of course the men bointj new t> the work, were not allowed to run any risk of accident. The drivers in tho field batteries had shown an aptitude, for their arduous part in the-business of the battery. No accident of any kind had occurred with cither guns or horses, and J this is a maHer of congratulation considering the liability to such in a branch of the service where dash was imperative, and risk was always present. In every case tho attendance had been exceUent.'No. 5 Company Garrison Artillery heading tho list with 12G men present l out cf 132 on tho strength. Moreover, in two out of the four series, this company had obtained the full number • of liits. Tho layers, it was true, were old soldiers, but some of the detachment numbers were recruit. There were piactically no military offences, and, out of 500 men, there were, only fivo ca?es for punishment, three of them occurring on the way to camp. ftach unit had been provided with a piano, reading tent, writing paper, etc., it being recognised that, "all work and no piny makes Jack a dull boy." The batteries in each brigade, and tho companies in each division, had encamped at tho same time and place, thus enabling officers, N'.C.O.'s, and men to become acquainted with one another, and to understand the capabilities of their respective units. This was important, as, in these days of co-oporatiou in war, it is very necessary that brigades and divisions should be trained to work together in peace. It also engendered esprit-de-corps. The engineers went into camp with the artillery, and made excellent progress, working out schemes in conjunction with the batteries. The only complaints mado were- from one battery which complained because they had not ns mnny men on picket at nicht as another, and from a man who grumbled because the medical officer had ordered him home as not fit enough for hard work. The food was in every case good.