BRIGADE & THE RAIN.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1754, 20 May 1913, Page 8

BRIGADE & THE RAIN.

IN ORINGI LINES. TACTICAL EFFORT' A ICAFD O-N'E. Tlio iUounted Brigade has completed its annual training at Oringi, and its units are now dispersed to various parts of the Wellington province. The last night in camp was celebrated in many ways. Both amusement marquees were crowded throughout the evening. .Between t'he hours of 7 ami 10 (train time) in the evening Dannevirko was thronged with Territorials bout on enjoying their last night. . At 4 o'clock, with the dawn just breaking over the mountains, reveille blared out its call to those who were to entrain by the first special. From then on till the entraining lasted. The ufiicer of

"A" squadron, by comparing tho numbers on his entraining card with the numbers on the carriagss, knew exactly Ihe one set apart for his men, and marched them therein without further bother. One mishap occurred, and that was caused through a horse slipping between the wagon and tho station while being entrained. He was pulled up by inea*is of ropes, and found to bo l-atlicr seriously injured. Daiinevirke and Woodville—ono six and tile other eleven miles from Oringi—were both used for the entraining of 'the troopers, and one squadron rode right through to Palmerston North. All trains left well up to time, and for this much credit is due to the organising powers of the Traffic Inspector, iir. Dawson, and t.ho Brigade .Major, Captain Foster. By 1.30 p.m. all was clear, and nothing remained of tho Oringi mounted camp but tho lilies of deserted tents, and the thin columns of smoke rising lazily in the air from half a dozen piks of rubbish.

The weather has been the feature. Whereas the infantry camp experienced summer days, quite t'he reverse has been the case with the mounted men. To commence with, their programme of work, to say the least, of it, was ambitious. They canio together, a. body of men. good riders certainly, but practically ignorant of •what was required of them in a camp ■under military discipline, and what is more to the point, with very liltle training, if any, in mounted drill. With such raw material to work upon, and under such weather, the officers had not a fair chance to carry out the projected programme. Tho first two days were to bo dsvoted- to troop and squadron drill, and then on to 'rrgimental drill. When this had been entered on with reasonable accuracy, regimental schemes wore lo be worked out. This done brigade training would take place, and then, as. a grand finale, a brigade scheme was to bo worked out; in Hi? presence of the general and his staff. All this was to be accomplished in .fourteen days. In the Imperial Army tho training detailed above would devolvo over a period of anything between six and twclvo months.

The officers did their best, and tho men worked with zest, but the fates conspired against them. From their arrival in the early morn nf Monday, May 5, till 1 tho day of their departure, but one really fiuo day was experienced, and that day was Wednesday—the day of the review by the general. The first week was marked by a piercing southerly, accompanied by rain and sleet. Tin's "descended in liravy

"pours," and soon caused the horse lines to assume the appearance of a bog. Tho horses thereupon had to be removed to moro sheltered quarters, but even on tho last day the effects of that week's rain would still be seen in many parts, of tho camp. As days went on, tho southerly developed into a gale, but, fortunately, prevented so much rain from falling. Yet tome did fall, and the aspect of the camp was by no means enjoyable. This, combined 'with the biting cold, did not help the work much. It is, however, to tho credit of tho Brigadier (Colonel Russell) that but one (lav was nut given to training. On Monday last, the rain having leaked through into the tents in a number of case.s. and wet the clothing, fires were lit with a view to a general "drying." lii the struggle against the element.?, drill was carried on as much as nossible, and, .notwithstanding all difficulties, a brigade scheme was worked out on the appointed day, and, judging from General Godley's remarks, the result was good. The impossible cannot, of course, ha achieved, but, all things considered, it seems regrettable that the camp cannot take place earlier in tli9 year, when iine weather would predominate. One feature of the camp was the number of presentations made. Three officers received long-service medals. The ambulance 1 presented their officer, Major O'Brien, with a walking Stick, and their fW'f'eant-Major (Staff Sergeant-Major Saiiclham) with a box of cigars. Tho signallers also presented thr.ir SergeantMajor (Staff Sergeant-Major Collins) with a camp shaving f-.et.