TRAINING METHODS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3176, 29 August 1917, Page 4

TRAINING METHODS

GENERAL EUSSELL'S SUGGESTIONS.

.An important letter from Xlajor-Goii-eral Sir A. H. Russoll was read in the House of Representatives yesterday by tho Minister of Defence. The letter, dated June 30, 1917, was addressed to Colonel Gibbon, Chief of the General Staff, and related, to tho training of New Zealand troops. "You should put all your monay on to turning our with a soldierly habit of •mind and body," wrote Sir I. H. Russell. It is quite unnecessary to givo them such technical instruction as is necessary to trench warfare. I think you will quickly appreciate tho-fact that even six months' absence from the trenches puts a man' out of it a3 regards the latest tips. Ido not fiuhk that, in New Zealand, you need bother your heads about anything whioli was not included in the old 1914 manuals. "The science of war has not changed since the days of Xenophon, and its nrt only to a very slight degree. I will tell you what they are teaching thorn at Sling, and what I propose should be cut out there At Sling; they E<* a thorough course of bombing, bayonet ngbting, trench digging, rapid wiring, an-1 gas, but they do not do any open warfare. , "I am going over to England next week, and shall suggest that both pas and bombing bo out out of the course of instruction there. I am doing this on the grounds that, in the case of bo-no-"ng, wo have absolutely overdone the subject. We teach them bombing in Encland, wo teach them bombing at Etaples -our infantry base depot—we teacn them bombing in battalion schools and in divisional schools, and wo have carried it to snch a length that many men have forgotten that they have a 71 He, and flunk that the only thing to do is to throw a bomb. TVe are paying for it every day. As a matter of fact, there is very little to teaclT in bombing. A stout heart, a little practice, aiiJ a short course of instruction is Ml tnat is needed to mako an efficient bomber. "Gas I would cut out, because it is: .impossible to get meu 60 far removed as they are in England from tho chan?e ut being gassed to really appreciate the extreme necessity of thorough and efficient gas drill and protection. Onre tncy get over here, and have met a few gas shells they take quite a different view,, and assimilate instruction very readily In England if is perfunctory. At Etaples it is a necessity, and we. give them further instruction before allowing them to go to the trenches, in our Divisional Reinforcement Camp. •. "How far yon teach these subjects in New Zealand' I am unaware, but, with I the exception of bayonet fighhnpf on the 1 latest system, I would cut the rest out. Go for open warfare all the time. The principles which povern open wartare govern trench warfare as well. It ia only a matter of the application of the P "t repeat that the soldierly halyjt of mind and body is ( what we want, plus all rou can teach them of open warfare.!. .p. The last reinforcements are yporletl on as quite up to standard, or even better; and I congratulate you on the results. Ono point. I would like to emphasise is tho insistence which ie placed in France on discipline, leadership, morale, and command." "I linpc," said Sir James Allen, after reading the letter, "that this will satisfy honourable members thnt we have been on the rieht lines in New Zealand all tho way through."