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FOR SERVICE

FIFTH REINFORCEMENTS PARADE 1 INSPECTED BY THE GOVERNOR "THEY SET A NEW STANDARD" "There's marching for youl Look at the swing of the arms and the rifle slope. I've seen nothing better!" This remark was made by a seasoned ollicer on the ground at Trcntham yesterday morning, all unconscious that a. limb of the Press was within earshot. But anyone among the little group of spectators who were privileged to see the "Fifth" in action yesterday could not but acree that the force sets a slightly higher standard than any others that have already gono forward. The men earned the spoken admiration of hundreds of members of tlio "Traits" and the "Sixth," who metaphorically took off their hats to the men who showed their paces before His Excellency the Governor yesterday on the ground that has seen thoso troops trained from the raw-recruit stage to the complete soldier. But it is not in marching alone that this force has set a high standard. Last week the "Fifths" underwent the active service test in the field, and they came through with flying colours. At the rifle range they have put up a new record for the camp, and any force that docs better with tho rifle will deserve a very substantial meed of praiso. At their drill they strike one,as being machine-like in- precision. One may attribute this all-round good form to the gradual improvement in the conditions under which the men are being trained; perhaps even to improvements in the system itself, but whatever has been the cause, the effect must be most stimulating and encouraging to all concerned from the Commandant of tho Forces down to Private Tommy Atkins. The camp was astir at its usual early hour, and many a silent thanksgiving went ud when it was realised that tho air was comparatively balmy, and 110 axe would be needed to locate tho water. There had been a grand rehearsal for tho parade before His Excellency the Governor on Tuesday, so that everv individual of each unit knew exactly what was required of him. 1 The "Fifth" spick and span in "full khaki," moved on to the parade'ground in good time, and drew up in company formation in the centre of the ground, the field artillery (a four-gun battery), with its 18-pounders, the Army Service Corps, with its wagons, making a splendid spectacle in tho amber i sunlight of a perfect mid-winter's i day. His Excellency the Governor, who i was accompanied by Colonel A. W. Robin, C.8., Commandant of the Forces, Lieutenant-Colonel C. M. Gibbon, Chief 1 of the General Staff, and Lieutenant--1 Colonel Potter, Camp Commandant, made a deliberate and thorough inspection of all ranks; and at its ■ conclusion the whole of the force "marched past" to the music of the Camp Band. The I order was as follows: — ! Mounted Infantry Artillery (4 guns). Artillerymen, (on foot). , Army Service Corps (with wagons). Engineers. Infantry. Apart from the rythmical swing of the Fifth's quickstep. there was an elan and elasticity about the men which indicated fine physical condition., Their unanimity in motion and their soldierly alertness reflected good discipline. ; Lord Liverpool did not address the ■ tijoops, who, after marching past 1 continued on into camp, and were dismissed just in time for luncheon. In the meantime the officers of parading companies, including those of tho No. 2 Stationary Hospital Corps, assembled in the Lecture Hall (which opens on i to the parade ground), and were briefly addressed by the Governor. After this oonclave His Excellency made an inspection of the new part ! of tho camp (where the corrugated iron hutments have superseded canvas tents) [ and noted how the mud nuisance was being fought, also tho increasing conveniences that are being supplied the j men. The men of the Fifth Reinforcements .■ will come to town to-day, and to-morrow j afternoon the public will bo given the . opportunity of seeing them on parade > iu tho City streets. i System Waits for No Man. : Never a halt was called yesterday in the work of training the men at Trenj tham on account of the Governor's inj spection of the Fifth. Even whilst j the band played away in mid-field; and ) tho long, neat column of khaki-clad ) troops swung along with the sunlight ) glancing on their polished bayonets, the I quick oar could detect hoarse orders 1 being shouted at small groups of rej cruite, "raw" and "half-baked," who were drilling in tens and twenties at the far end of the parade ground. I Scattered about the big ground I were ten-men lines doing "Right I Turn!" "Left turnl" and "'Bout ) turnl" at tho behest of various non- ) commissioned officers. By this method every maji in tho camp becomes known —his capacity can be estimated, and his fitness for responsibility judged. The • men should not run away with the idea that all this initial training in tiny groups is without any important bearing. It is often there that' a man is r "spotted" for his smartness, his mental ability to grasp motives, ana his capacity to act quickly and firmly. Whilst the men are learning the first essentials of their work, they may begin to ascend the military scale. This fact ) should help to make all hands Keen and willing in their work. It should be I a point of honour to at least achieve the same degree of military efficiency as the preceding Reinforcement, if Hot > surpass it. This has been the case so far with every Reinforcement, and the ' "Sixth" aro not going to break the . rule if they can holp it. Two months have made a drastic alteration in the appearance of' the big j camp at Trcntham. Rows of tents ) have been succeeded by lines of corru- - gated iron hutments—about a dozen in ) every row and street, or rights-of-way between each row. These iron houses do not conduce so much to the picturesquo as "tho white-tented field," but 1 when tho flood-gates of heaven open in tho dead of night thore is no argument about the degree of comfort the respec--2 tive military habitations afford. Tho ) Fifth and Sixth Reinforcements have 3 been under canvas all along, But with ) the departure of the former it is not 3 likely that others will fill their place. 3 The men of the "Seventh" are to go I into camp on Monday, but it is more , than likely that they will be accommo- ' dated in the hutments now on tho point j of completion. Canvas or iron. "I don't want to shift into a hutment." declared a corporal of the Sixth yesterday. "I had three nights in one, and thought I was frozen mutton." •Are they colder than a tent? "Aro they? Ask any of the men. A tent is twice as warm on these cold nights. Tho cold gains an aikled intensity from tho iron, whilst the canvas seems to repel it." Another troopc was consulted on the sumo point. "Me for the iron hnfc every time. It may bo a bit coUlcv than the tent, but tliafc don't matter when you've a good rug on top ot your blankets. What, price in a tout when it rains, and you're sleeping on tho mud, and have to get it out of your, ears in- the itiorn- ;; U, Ti'i i«»#l a?

to bo used at Trentham for some time to come, though they will all soon bo provided with wooden floors "to keep tho mud out of tho sleeper's ears." The Outbreak of Measles. "Von can't have 7000 men together ifi a heap without, some ailment attacking them, and we have been jolly lucky up to the present." This was a medical man discussing tho outbreak of measles at Trentham camp. Already the old Fever Hospital at Bcrhamiiore is full of cases, and there are three or four marquees at Trcntham where infected troopers aro being treated, and fresh cases aro being reported every day. A good proportion of the "fcases" aro said to bo light, and in tho case ot an otherwise healthy man there is no special danger of serious developments arising oijt of measles. A convalescent homo is being established at Sir. C. H. Izard's country house at the Upper Ilutt, and all reasonable precautions aro being' taken to cheek tho spread of tho malady. Concrete washing troughs aro being provided between tho main lines, which will bo a big improvement on the originfil provision for ordinary ablutions, and tho work of numerous fatigue parties has already gone a long way towards combatting the mud nuisance in camp. There arc now between all tho main lines broad tracks of cobble-stones, which make the going rathor rough for the lightly shod, but which have effectively banished tho mud-sloughs of two or three weeks back.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19150610.2.12

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2484, 10 June 1915, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,468

FOR SERVICE Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2484, 10 June 1915, Page 3

FOR SERVICE Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2484, 10 June 1915, Page 3

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