SPIRIT OF DISCIPLINE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2913, 27 October 1916, Page 5

SPIRIT OF DISCIPLINE

COMMANDANT ADDRESSES TWENTY-SECONDS.

The' Camp Commandant at Trentham (Lieut.-Colonel H. R. Potter) addressed: the Twenty-second Reinforcements and the officers and N.C.O.Js of the Twentyfifth Reinforcements at Trentham on Wednesday morning. Colonel Potter emphasised the importance of discipline, which simply was the life of a force, while lack-of it meant, the death of that force. • Discipline wa-s necessary for the efficiency, oomfort, and safety of troops. Without it troops were not worth their salt on tho field of battle. In short, discipline was the cheerful obedience to orders. Fitness for war, said Colonel Potter, was tho only thing wliich counted. In the training camps, the men would be mado into soldiers, and a powerful factor in this'direction was the soldierly spirit; it made men confident in themselves, in their officers, and in their N.C.O.'s. Colonel Potter referred to the Kaiser's address to -his picked troops at tho beginning of the war, when ho spoke of the British force as the "contemptiblo little aTmy." That army numbered only 250,000 against' the Germans' 700,000,_ yet its discipline was so excellent that.it successfully retreated, fighting rearguard actions every day for twelvo days. Only the splendid discipline of those British troops enabled them to do that. With four months' training in the New Zealand camps and two months' training in England, efficient soldiers could'be turned out. Colonel Potter concluded this portion of his address, by quoting from General Sir A. Birdwood's address to tho Anzacs on the importance of discipline. ' Referring to the redress of grievances tfhilo in camp, Colonel Potter impressed upon the men that the proper course was to bring their grievances before their officers. If the troubles were private onos, the men should take them to the camp chaplains. ' They were thoro for that pur-, pose, and were always willing to-guide and advise in such matters.

Other matters upon which the Commandant spoke 'were camp sanitation, respcct for the -police—civilian, red caps, and camp police—tho etiquette of saluting the King's commission, the canteen, and the distribution of funds therefrom.

T.u regard to drink, Colonel Potter urged tho' men to be moderate and obey the liquor lawSj especially those concerning the bringing of intoxicating liquor into the camps. Ho reminded the men that it-was a disgrace for a soldier in uniform to appear in a Police Court.