WEEKEND BIVOUAC

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 157, 29 March 1939, Page 13

WEEKEND BIVOUAC

2nd Field Company, New Zealand Engineers TRAINING AT RAUMATI BEACH Railway buses, private ctrrs and motor-lorries were required to transport the 2nd Field Company. New Zealand Engineers, from Wellington to Raumati beach for the company’s weekend bivouac. The bivouae was held in line weather irnd was attended by more than 50 members of the unit, under the command of Major C. 11. Beach, with Caplain E. I. Hubbard, second-in-com-mand, Captain D. Brown, medical officer, and Lieutenants A. Jones, V. F. Connolly, R. Pemberton and Harris, assisted by Lieutenant P. G. Monk, N.Z.S.C., adjutant, and Staff-Sergeant R. Baigent, N.Z.P.S. After the tent lines had been established, lunch was served and in the early afternoon all sections were instructed in the preparation of barbedwire obstacles, the double apron-fence with iron screw pickets being chosen. Later, sections were moved to the beach, where tiie tactical situation was explained. This presupposed the defence of the beach 'by an infantry battalion, and the preparation by engineers of the central sector. This required the construction of three forward and one reserve section posts, machine-gun posts and one beach gun emplacement, all to be concealed from the sea and adequately camouflaged from the air. Concealed Gun Posts. The sandv nature of the soil necessitated revetting by means of sandbags, corrugated iron and brushwood hurdles, in the case of section ami machinegun posts. Wire-netting screens and superimposed vegetation provided effective concealment from above. Machine-guns commanded the beach from the sides with central rifle fire. The beach gun covered frontal approach from the sea. The emplacement was provided with sandbag protective works and tubular scaffolding supported a screen of varying layers of new wirenetting which, while admitting the passage of light and so preventing betraying shadows to aerial observation, effectively broke up the solid.form masses beneath and blended with the surrounding sand. The works were continued at night, without lights as much as possible, and completed on Sunday, when they were inspected by Major L. Hunt, staff officer in charge of No. 5 area, who expressed his satisfaction with the scheme, and suggested improvements iu the scope of reserves with a post giving fuller control of the section under certain circumstances. Camp was struck at approximately 4 p.m., and the unit returned to Wellington. Tomorrow night the unit will attend a picture parade in Wellington, wearing the new blue uniforms which were recently issued.