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A 'SHOOTING-MACHINE '

CAPT. WALLINGFORD'S RETURN . FULL OF PRAISE FOB HIS BRIGADE Captain J. A. Wallingford, crack rifle shot, revolver expert, . and ma-chinc-gun director, who returned by tho Ruuhine, has beon spoken of as tho "human machine-gun," states the Auckland "Star," and it is an acknowledged fact that his brigade was largely instrumental in holding the New Zealand lines. Before coming to Now Zealand to act as a musketry instructor, he_ was known as "the shooting machine," and ho left behind him an amazing record as the champion shot of tho British Army. Referring to the members of his brigade, Captain Wallingford declared with enthusiasm that nothing could beat them. "' r hey were my own boys whom I had trained in New Zealand," h„- said, "and I could bavo had none better. I have come to tho conclusion that our lads are good as compared with tho British soldier. Both have tho same blood and are equally bravo, but we have an advantage in age. Whereas they accept boys down to tho age of 13 .years, we do not take them at less than 20. Accordingly ours can stand tho rough work of campaigning better than the average lad of the "K" army. We had four machine-guns to each regiment. and I consider myself the luckiest mail that ever took, the field, not only because I had the best cf NewZealand boys, but also becauso I had the best guns. We were better off than anyone in this respect. The losses were very heavy. During four days on Chunuk Bair I lost 64 per cent, of my officers and men. No troops could have Btood up better. In the early dawn of August 11, when the apes we had hold was about to give way, the ma-ohine-gun lads fixed bayonets, and, gathering round in a circle, said: "We'll stick to you, captain."' They did, and the position was held. I know of nothing finer than that. Before leaving England on the Rua. hino, Captain Wallingford ascended in an Army aeroplane apd fired the machine gun which she carried. Questioned as to the sensation, ho replied: "It was just like sitting down'to dinner." What made the experience the more enjoyable was that the manoeuvres took place over his old training ground •—Hythe—and he fired on to tho beach that ho knew so well. The 'plane carried ft Lowis machino-gun, a new weapon that had come out during tho > ar. It was much lighter and more portable than those which tho New Zealauders used. "How our boys have toiled through day and night with our heavy maxims is simply marvellous. In faot, they seem to be superhuman." Captain Wallingford added that he had been through some of tho big factories in England, and he was satisfied that they were now turning out adequate quantities of field equipment. Ho therefore thought that it would not be uecessary to consider the question of manufacturing machine-guns in New Zealand. At the same time, he remarked that there i were some high-class workshops in this Dominion.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19160107.2.66

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2663, 7 January 1916, Page 7

Word count
Tapeke kupu
509

A 'SHOOTING-MACHINE' Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2663, 7 January 1916, Page 7

A 'SHOOTING-MACHINE' Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2663, 7 January 1916, Page 7

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