A GOOD DRAFT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2850, 15 August 1916, Page 6

A GOOD DRAFT

SIXTEENTH REINFORCEMENTS

ADDRESS BY COL. GIBBON

The Sixteeiitli Infantry and Engineers' Reinforcements were paraded; at Trentham yesterday afternoon and addressed by Colonel C. M. Gibbon, Chief of the General Staff, concerning their behaviour as soldiers wheu on active servico. Colonel Gibbon said that the Sixteenth Reinforcements as a whole had worked well and shown a proper spirit. . |

Tho Mounted Rifles, who had gone 011 ahead, were a. very good draft indeed, and one of- the best that had been sent. Concerning the Artillery and Engineers, Coionei Gibbon said that he had not yet had details of their work, but judging by their practice with live shell last week, tile Artillery were equal to tho good drafts that had already gone to tho front. Like the Infantry, their training had suffered through the wet weather and the want of dry grounds. They had been compelled to exercise on the road. Tho Engineers were a good draft, and would do tho training staff credit.' Tile Engineers' Signal Unit was well up to standard.

The training of the Infantry had been affectod by the wet weather, especially their advanced training. The physiquo of the draft- and tho spirit ot the men was as good as that of any previous draft. In shooting they had established a record, their figure of merit being 114. The best company in musketry, was C Company, their figures beiug 122.3. This had never been attained before, and it'had been accomplished by this company because every mail had dono his best.

Of the Machine-gun Section, Colonel Gibbon said that the draft was bettor trained than any sent before. This was due to there being more equipment and moro time. That the Infantry Signal draft was better than any former draft was proved by the work they had carried out last week.

As a whole, tho draft had had more men fit to march over tho Rimutaka Hill than any earlier draft. Their feat in inarching right into camp, practically without any me if falling out, was a good performance. In common with tho Eighth Reinforcements, the Sixteenth were to visit other parts of the Dominion before leaving. ' •"There are people.in New Zealanu who have never seen our trained men," said Colonel Gibbon,' and we want to show them what a good draft you arc." The Chief of Staff went on to warn tho men about failing out by the way. They were wanted at the front.. They must live up to the record they had established at Featherston. There was a vacant place waiting for them, where they would have a chance of fighting the Germans. He hoped that, by the time they got tber.c, tho fighting would have become tho, best kind of fighting, with the Germans on the run.

The danger of being left behind at ports of call was mentioned by Colonel Gibbon, wlio asked the men what they would *think of soldiers belonging to a draft of troops that touched at a, port in New Zealand and, after leave on shore, missed their transport? "You would think they had precious little discipline. And that is what people in other ports would think of you,", said Colonel Gibbon. It was impressed upon the men that the orders regarding their getting leave ashore at ports of call did not lie with their own officers. The authorities at the ports had the say. If a ship came to New Zealand with sickness on board, the people hero would want to prevent the troops landing. Another phase of the matter'was that it might not be possible to grant the whole of the men on the transport leave at ports of call. Kicking over tho traces did no good,' and it did their reputation as New Zealand'troops an immense amount of harm. They could not expect to get tho same leave as they had. had at Trentliam. Their officers got their.orders, and had to obey them.

After referring to the importance of discipline and of saluting, which was the outward sign of discipline, Colonel (fibbon expressed the hope that when the draft got to its destination it would have tho best reputation of any that had been sent. In camp, the Sixteenths had had the least number of men absent without leave of any draft. He hoped they would live up to it.