NATIONAL RESERVE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2985, 24 January 1917, Page 2

NATIONAL RESERVE

j TRAINING OFFICERS FOR THE FORCES. . The report of the Instructional Staff of the National Reserve for tho year 5 ended December, 1916, states that the staff instructors who qualified for their certificates, and who have been able • to deyoto most of their leisuro to this j excellent work-liave reason to be-proud of the past year's .work, and the results arc eminently -satisfactory. Separate u classes were formed for officers, and non-commissioned officers- belonging to the Reserve,..and were -well attended— fc the members showing keen interest and 3 considerable. aptitude in their work, j Men who anticipated going into camp e> with the Expeditionary Forces, werealso given .very thorough and up-to-dato training in all the various /drill .work, and the results havo proved of immense o service, not only to tho-men, ;but also to tho Defence Department, ~as may- _ be seen from the particulars .given , below. The nowepmers were .tpfcen in hand by Bpecial instructors, and trained on special evenings and.afternoons linj; til fully qualified to .be drafted into the advanced classes, which were thoroughly grounded in all tho higher -and more advanced work, such as musketry, outs posts, judging. distance, visual train- , ing, and general field -work. , In all, 70 pupils passed through .tho i_ classes for-tlie year, and those who ; arc i. now in camp or -waiting to ,go there i. .shortly, .sppak highly of .tho methods t, employed to mako' them . efficient and well-trained soldiers. / One of the.pupils haß_ passed the Territorial -practical exr amination with the highest -percentage 0 yet gained in ..any instructional camp, one has . already .gained his lieutenancy with the Expeditionary {Forces, two us 1 StafE sergeant-major instructors, nine as StafE sergeant-major instructors in i ■ tho examinations held during May and '■ June. In the examinations held in December three passed as Lergeants and o two as corporals, gaining tneir certificates. Twelvo pupils have been ae- ,£ cepted as non-coms, in the Bspcdition- [. ary Forces, and are fully qualified to B rise higjier, and-doubtless .will, _as ..the result of tho good work.done by .the ;.. instructors, and of this-number .three, l_ at least, have been- appointed sergeant-, li majors. Eight members of tho classes y have been accepted as -.n.c-o.'s, and ,aro d awaiting their call to go into camp. with futuro Reinforcements. In. addid tion, six members intend -going .to. n Palmerston North next month to qualij. fy 'for. first . appointments for' <js mmijsjj sions in tho-Territorials, and sho.uld c _ give a good .account of their training. while -menibers .of tho vßeserve. . Tho . Instructional Staff recognise the -.very escellont work done by Major J. W. 1 -Steel, 0.C., and fully appreciate .the , immense amount of time -and labour '' expended, and the whole-hearted cnthu- *■ siasm that has done so much to make j tho results what they are. Tho course - of training imparted is identically the. K same gone through in camp. Tlie-best } ; thanks of ..tho staff arc due -to ;Lieut. l » Ayers, S.S.M. Instructor Cprigreve, !• S.S.M. Mills, Leckie, and who; • have been indefatigable, and thoroughly . conscientious in all' their .special L " branches of instructions. Tho-courtesy' " and kindness of Major Firth for the 3 >. use of tho College Gymnasium and j grounds aro also much appreciated, and k had it not be.on for this gentleman's y kindly interest tlie work could not havo attained tho highly satisfactory results recorded. ' ' - ■