THE BIG FIELD DAY AT TAKAPAU.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2142, 7 May 1914, Page 6

THE BIG FIELD DAY AT TAKAPAU.

" —« — TACTICS ON THE HILLS. SIR, lAN HAMILTON'S INSPECTION. , REALISTIC BATTLE. (By Telegraph.—Spscittl Reporter.} Takapati, May 6. A most interesting and realistic day »'a» spent by tke divisional troops at rakapau to-djiy, when .a tactical scheme sf attack anci defence, lasting from an aarlv hour in tiia morning &Ii the turn of noon, was carried out under the eye of the Inspector-General of tho Overspas I'orces (General Sir fan Hamilton). I'lje weather was beautifully lino after iv cold, still flight, and a foggy morning, and tho troops, thoroughly enjoyed themselves as they skirmished over the hills ia their mimic- warfare, ■ Early breakfast was ordered, and, immediately afterwards, Lieutenant-Co)* oncl C. Haroourt Turner, who had been deputed to command a sni.a-11 forgo of some 800 men, which Has assumed to have been- cut off -from its main body, attd upon which tho whofo farce of tlie attacking troops, about 37 : QQ odd, was to be lauadiea, loft tho camp' to take up his position oa the foothills lying to tlio east of the PorangahaU Itivef, ''"his foi'ce consisted of a regiment of infantry (sth Wellington), a sottadroit of mounted rifles {A Squadron of the 9ih Wellington-Bast Coast . Mounted Regiments), and a battery of artillery, not actually present', its position iie'mg indicated in the field by smoke balls, and tlio Wellington Company of Field Engineers. This small force-.was supposed ta, have been driven from one 'position to another, until it had found ■a vantage point on which it wits hoped to male© a stubborn stand. 1 Tho "fight flank of its position rested upon 8 point knmrn on the war limp as Ma» loner's Farm, and its left on a tall bluegum known as Coronation. Gum Tree. Its front was not an extended one, and it 'was backed by converging hills, the narrow gullies and protecting shouiikrss of wliieli afforded good ground for a rearguard action should that be* eome necessary, It was •si position which, strongly held, could, defy assault for a. long time., am! from which, as a last resort, escape, though difiieull, waa Dossible. A spongy creek, with , steep hanks, wound ahout everywhere, a.nfj tho entrenched defenders held a commanding position for firing. The Attacking Foroa. The attack was commanded by tltt Officer Commanding the District- {Coloisel Chaytor), whoso fore® consisted oi three TOgimeii'ts" of mounted rifles, twi batteries of artillery, _ and four res* mouts of infantry,- with supply an! jimh-ulaneo corps and field tete-gnipb Tho principal aim of Colonel Chaytor' foroo (Brown) was to throw his cavalry under cover of artillery fire-, on th enemy's right wing, driving him farthe into the. top of tlio valley,_ and here mine .him in at the sstfilo time,, Alst under e<)Ver of- artillery fire, tho in f-antry were to 'advance from one eovci point to another till within deoisiv range. Then, with a series of rushes they were to carry, &o enemy's ,ihai position by asswlt. Tho umpire's fer-c-ach side, directe bv tlio umpirO-m-eh-ief (Colonel 13. f Heard) went everywhere,, restrict in tho combatants to tlio rules of tl: game, and imposing penalties in _ tli shape of lost companies or lost positioi: for infractions of these rules. tho Engagement. Under cover of the morning fog Lie 1 , teiiaivt-Cbloiiel Turner's i"«rco (White got into position unseen by anyone, all made elaborate plans and disposition for the discomfiture of _ tt»' eftemRiflemen were concealed in doflgfls, tl Maxim was posted in a concealed pos tion wliieh ccimroattdetl an extensive fie 1 i of fire. ass.d every precaution was tafa i to guard against surprise,, and provfc surprises for the- enemy. When, hot : ever, tho scouts of tlio attacking i felt- their way towards the low foothil i they saw not ft sign of life eseept a fe i peaceful cows and sheep. The enemy ; flank was finally located, and propar tions were made for tlio-advance, tl ■ der Colonel Rvi-ssell, tho 2nd We'llifttt-tf ; (West Coast), tho 6th Wellington (M nawatti), and the 9tl:i Wellington (Ea ' Coast) mounted regiments were sti t out towards the loft with instwctici > to detour to the right, and rapid 1 crowd and press the enemy on tie flail On the Tignt of the ntta-ofcing line t r ) 17th Wellington (TUialihie), and 11' " Wellington' (Tarannki) infafttry we ' sent into action, the 9th (East Coos • end ?tk (Waiiganni) hems held u-nd cover in reserve. The battjo cjimmej

ed with tlw roar of tho fcowitsie.rs, wbioli covered tho advance of tho infantry,! echoed by tlio distant booms of tho 18- ■ I TiiJtindors far away on the rip:ht> The I batteries poured a convOTiilug fire uiwn the defenders who played a waiting Ramo. A tacticai Blynijer. The advance party of the mounted brigade caftio into contact witt) the ex--tremo right of tho .defenders at Bayliss's ford, tho passage of which was 'Jiotly contested. Gaini»g this, the liioimted men, with prtai.dasli and fllaii, rapidly dcvoloped their attack, ii lid would bo doubt have very successfully finished off their work had not a tpotkal bliindw b«n nuttk. Shortly after their sue* cosg ftt tho lord the defervdora kad «s» tsvhlislind' an advanced post on their riehtj in vorv treacherous eoitntry, furnishing excellent cover, and the ftdvo»oino; Sfmadrtms of the attacking br.i'jna.e, mistaking this for the tnain position, dashed up tlio low hill irmler a fteattpriiu.; fife from tho enemy, and. at tlw tircip, crossed tiro firing line of their own infantry which, this tiftiß, Kerb well advanced' towards the enemy's main position. At 200 odd yards , fans , ? they wore suddenly <?xpos<|4 to ii willipriiiE fife from iho eiiemy's Jfnsim and, at tho same time, enfiladed by rifteoien. Ilor>ele«'s]y entangled, tlvoy wcro ordered to retire with, tho loss of four pejiajty impos<>d by tfeo iimpim for thejr raslme&s, H- was a good score for the defonders. The retironont and subsoijuciit ilctoar to a point from which a ftesh advandn could be made Vas excellently carried out. Shortly after tliis chock the infantry attack was developed w.\fh great .energy. The reserves were brought- infca action, and with short rushes covered by the fire of the supports', the main infantry attack was pushed home- to tho doeisivo point) ivlioii, the rest-ryes rapidly oaftio up, and tht) bugle smmdM tho charge. The ofackUftg af blank became getiftral ■ all over tlio area of tho final assault, the Maxim "flop" "popped" incessantly? and the attackors, witli a jionrso cheer, dashsd down the. steps and lip another to tlio prostvato lino ef defenders who lay eofllly firing along tho summit- of tits ridge, At this jvmcturo tlra luspectoivGfln, ofal stojfped the aotionj romarkinji that it would' not do to l«t Uixi exftited m<m RO too far. I'iten foilowe4 a general inspect ion of the lines by Sir lanHar* iltai), after which a move trae made t« the fi:old kitchens where tho troops lia<j lunch, 0 tyislon Marches Past. The final seono was tlio march : p-ast in column of route ou tlio waj- back to cum'fj, Tliß Insj)cci.or*Qei:ic-raJ, % ' with his Staff, took up his position in front of the iiinin gate loading to "Or-uawhhro" (Mr. Sydney Johnston's projwrty). The various regimental bawds took up a position on ilio opposite side of' ilw road, aad aftef an interval C'oloiiei

Chaytor, ridsng at t.h© head of bis staff, appeared in view,- salute?], and with bis staff joined the party at the saluting point. Tho mounted brigade, with Colonel ■ Russell at its bead, followed, llm cam® the Engineers, under Major (sib-bs, tho Artillery Brigado (jVfa'HJr I et'iiwiek) and. the kfantrv • and field ambulance. fho march past, Gi occupied 40 ivlmites, and was 1 a mos-t pleasing spectaefe. Tho ''footies," after their hard day's writ, marched extremely well, the Engineers aiwj sth iWEiment boing_ particularly good, I 1 torn that point the division wound its way back to camp ; aivi the day's business was ov£r» Inspector-General's Critique. After the troops returned to camp tho omfiers and noi-icommissie-ne-d officers \ wore addressed by the InspcetoivQeii- J, cral. riao scheme of operations, said i. j Sir *au Hamilton, was not a bad <mo. .! ilie groat thing to aim at was s-implie- ;.i ity, and the tactical schomo shouM to i as short a-s possible. This particular * scheme made mentio-H of ft difference i between the rival slates of Auckland r a :"i. Wellington over a' question of .. tariff. r J hat was a question for premiers * : and politkiaas. _ They, as soldiers, hag: . : to fight, and win if possible, and tlio + qviestisin af tariff was; therefor-o not i • material to the actual scheme. The ' basis of operations also placed the C6a- 6 i tending forces «i such a position that ' ■ Wellington was Attacking' from the i 1 norths and Auckland'defending a lino 1 i of retreat to tho south. That might ! foo all right, aji4 perfectly souiid in a J ' given spt of eij-ciroistaneos, but it did ! - iwt make for simplicity. ' i The cavalry showed great dash, One ' • of the great charfleteristius' of /good ' i cavalry was dash—that Was what' to •' r a»n at. "Jlicro is practically Mo limit- ' ? to what cavalry can do," s'avct the In* • ' sjscctor'-CTenoral, who went oil to say .' ! that the mounted men, tfuriiig the en- 1 S .ptajjejurent that aftprnoou-, had Ijeeil: \ i rather precipitate, aiui bad interposed 1 themselves between the enemy and their - own infantry. In the process of d.i-f>- ® entangling themselves frg-ni the results ?. ot tjioir precipitancy tliey had behaved '! j very well, and bad afterwards got on 1 tlio extreme right of tho enemy, and » : threatened his retreat. ifi Tho tactics j" of cavalry advances, when exposed to artillery lire, should b:c» carcfu'lv noted, " and. when mossing an open space Under tho possible observation of the artilS lery, it was a mistate to advance in a 8 succession of small detached groups. It usually took ten iiiiuutes for tho artillery to pick up the range, and, in ~ l that interval of time.. if they crossed the open space* they could get- safely a over before the guns' found the range. 13 A succession of small groups gave Che % artillery aft opportunity a.nd time to '■ pick up tiie range, and do some dam- *■ uge. . Before leaving England lie had. asked Sir John French, the great cavalry leader, for a message 'for the 1° oversea mounted regiments. Sir John 'j French had told him to ask them to al- °* ways remember that cavalry could p!a.y •? a most important .-part in war- by acting S|- boldly on occasions, ami-leaving their |'d horses for greater, distances. It Was »• always .possible to deceive the eftem.y 'S into thinking that these men wero ac- >'< iua.lly the. main infantry attack, he Reveling again'to the day's opera■or tiaus (icnerai iTamiltoii said' that tho in- idea, adopted by %be cqntmander of tlio >o, attacking fort.e of dividing his artillery «* aud sending .part, with tto mounted Ji'" liio-u, and tlio remainder With the :ill:ve faiitry, was a gojrd one. A siiigie ba-t' e.s, tcry of four guns could be mom capkiii ably contwiUed by the artillery com- i lilander tliiu: a. liatteiy af eight rnns. j ed ..Added to this tlley wero. able, by this I S. disposition <jf batteries, to dueci: g coiing verging Ire upon tho enemy, 'j he ].«- : ho panndcrs had back too far. ' 'Work ,ho, your gniM up scmelunvj" ]u> said. "■! iiis- ■ -The . i.nsiicctor-'Gen.eral also i'e'ferr.ed ! to tlio wefft of the sappers, who, -tw ' had noticed when lining' out tlio j trenches for the infantry.' This work ! .'U- might very well bo dene by tho infan- \ to) try. And' the sappers eoul'd have been ' nd better employed in making bridges' ms across the creeks. * »y.- Turning to tho infantry,, GeMcral tlio Ha-mtlton said that- tljo preat thing «a3 )si- to advauco as- quickly as p<*seld. «b'.c from cover to * corer, aild ;en; Rot to grips' with the bii.yoiipt. Mo Oomnifliideni should never order »v- M'eir infantry forward until they had rco 'carefully studied the. ground ahead of ill® %®r selected a good firing position 'ew tt 'rth adetjiiato covc-i. it Was a .good y's thing to seiid l'diahle scouts fonv-ard ?a- report on tlio nature of th.e ground-, jn- A l6 Srea-t thing ivas to savcj tfco nvsn ton fts '""ck as possible from avoidable 4e--la- strnot-ion. .Scouts should always ho ast carefully selected for tlicir intelligence tut aJl 'd and the best men oii-Jy S ., IS of the. company should fed' selected. j];ly The infantry rese-i'vo hafl been Well handled, but seonsideriiig tho nature tiio of tho ground and tho excolioiit cover. 1-tli '- u front of them, thoy piiglvt-have been - er£> brouglit into actios more rapidly, ana! !jf t) in la.rge bodies. ( j cr . On tile whole, concluded Cjeur-fal ;ue- Hawiltoil, tho work was vo-ry cradita-Hoi

sfld ■ thofG was a great appearance o| J ■cohesion in .tiro tncwenieists of the i troops. The dimas was vefy realistic.,' ■and altogether good, A caiiip like tlsiswas no jel:e i it repaired a 'highly-: trained staff.' H. 6 ' had tcoii vety: pleased, oti the tyliole, with what lie had , ■ seen. ' : ■ M'edals Presented. Sir Jan Hamilton then presented the Mloiviwj with lon* service tngdals:—' Major AsliWofrth,. 6th M*|ta«atu : ft6 -ntncl 20 years medals); Captain Ciiisholm A Squadron, 2nd ' Wellington <(\Pest ■Coast M.R,), 12 years' lawkt: tietttoft* ant Taylor,, eth Manaffaiu f.i'2. years' mortal); Serajejvni'Mjijoi , . J)ei.neat (A Squadron, 6tl» jfaiifw'atu), 13. years ■medn'l. The Strike. The Cotirt of Inquiry set up to Mo.uire into the fracas of SuMtfaj; evening; Jast is still taking evidence, and there is nothing to report, Csvfc&hi facts have come io Jiglrt since tlra oeciirfftiiico wiiieli clears tire mounted, regiments,. Artillery.,- aud Engineers ot any asss-i elation Wfth tlfe disoiders. , The St ; )i {Wellingtenj Kygjinont-aw also clear of .*<i*l«ciei>. It is stated tliiii, ju a cei* , taiti coinpany of one WglinKnt SOoittof 32i) juei.i are swspeeted of fiartifipafcion or s}'tnpatfa,v wHI-i tlie- oceißTCiwc, «M.d that a minor strike has sinoo oecuff.ed wliioli invokes fines. Tlie Gisiiorne won, '20D in nftinber, is-ffl be sent homo on SahinlAjr