CABINET MINISTERS UNDER FIRE

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 36, 6 November 1942, Page 4

CABINET MINISTERS UNDER FIRE

“Battle Noises” Exercise DEMONSTRATION AT ARMY SCHOOL

A demonstration of ‘‘battle noises’J exercise, a recent innovation in New Zealand, was witnessed by three members of the War Cabinet and a party of senior officers on the Army School of Instruction training area ' yesterday afternoon. The “battle noise” course, which has already been dfl 1 scribed in “The Dominion,” is designed to accustom, troops to the noise of grenade and shell bursts and rifle fire,, and to make them realize that noise itself cannot hurt them. The course introduced in the Dominion so far ‘is regarded as elementary. The visitors included the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones; the Minister of Supply, Mr. Sullivan; the Minister of Armed Forces and War Co-ordination, Mr. Coates; Lieutenant-General D. Puttick, C. 8., D. 5.0., N.Z.S.C., General Officer Commanding tho New Zealand Military Forces; Major-General 11. E. Barroivclough, D. 5.0., M.C.; Brigadier L. G. Goss, N.Z.S.C., Assistant Chief of the General Staff; Lieutenant-Colonel F. L. Hunt,' N.Z.S.C., General Staff, Army Headquarters; arid Brigadier H, Young, C. 8., C.M.G., D. 5.0., Director of Home Guard.

The visitors were met by the commandant, Lieutenant-Colonel J. N. Henry, N.Z.S.C., who accompanied them to the site of the exercise and explained its purpose. The personnel taking part comprised members of an officer cadet training unit, who have nearly completed their course of instruction at the Army School. The exercise, was in two stages. During the first the officer cadets remained prone on sloping ground while explosive charges, representing 25pounder shells, were fired about 20 yards from »them.' To 1 add to the effect, the instructors also threw grenades near the cadets. After -all the explosions had finished a whistle was blown and the cadets charged up the slope at the double. For the second phase the traiuees entered a system of trenches where they took cover while machinegun bullets whistled and cracked overhead, and further explosive charges were fired about six yards away. These charges are-slightly greater than the charge of a 25-pounder shell. ’ Address to Cadets. After the exercise ’ was completed the visitors were invited to enter the trenches and feel for themselves something of what it is like to be under shell and machinegun fire. Steel helmets were provided for all not already wearing them to give protection against showers of earth and stones scattered by the explosions. Ijater each of the three Ministers briefly addressed the officer cadets. Mr. Jones said the “battle noises” exercise tbe officer cadets had just carried out formed part of a course of instruction that would be of.the greatest value to them when they passed out of the Army School to various units. “I have been impressed with what I have seen of the work vou are doing,” he continued. We havd to build up a strong mobile force iu the Dominion. That is.your task and I am sure you’will carry jt out WQII, and will, in the days to come, help your men to become first-class fighters, -j . , “As Minister of Supply.it is my job' to find the clothes, tbe food and tne other things you require,” said Mr. Sullivan, “and I hope that at the present moment it is being done satisfactorily.' Speaking of the latest newa from the Middle East, Mr. Sullivan said the Now Zealand soldiers had a splendid name in the present war and the officer cadets he was addressing would, he felt sure, play their part in maintaining that record whether serving overseas or in thtir own C °Mr. r 'coatcs congratulated the cadets.on bein'- selected for an officer cadet training unit. “We must realize it. is no picnic we are on,” he said. “There is a tremendous responsibility on those men selected for leadership. Of all the troops fighting in this war there are none much better than the New Zealanders. Again, it is the New Zealanders who have broken a road through the minefields in the Western Desert to let our armoured brigades ’are very concerned about the situation in the South Pacific; it is most uncertain yet what may happen there, added Mr. Coates. “Some people are critical of the precautions being taken to meet the situation, and of the manner in which those precautions are being carried out, but none of us would for..n,e ourselves unless we could feel we had done our best to protect our country and its peace. Maybe there is work ahead for some of you in the Pacific area. Officers should instil in their men that they must be fit. You cannot laugh the Japs off, they won’t be laughed off. -they are a very tough and highly-trained foe, and if they are not licked we will never have neace in our area.” ... 1 Mr. Coates said the Americans were at the moment taking the full weight of tbe cleverlv-designed Japanese drive acro.->» the Pacific New Zealand was a smaU nation with a small population, but the nation had never shown that it was wllino- to stand behind another person. New Zealand, wanted to play her part.