BUSH FIGHTERS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 103, 26 January 1943, Page 4

BUSH FIGHTERS

How Army Educates

Officers

MARINES ALONGSIDE NEW ZEALANDERS

The application of ordinary military principles and skill to bush warfare

cannot be learned from textbooks. The most highly-trained exponent of the modern war of movement or of static trench warfare suddenly thrown on his own resources in strange bush or mountain country would quite likely be at a complete loss and unable to apply his previous knowledge to the new conditions till he had time to adjust his ideas. In that time an inferior enemy, with the necessary bushcraft, could wipe him right off the map. The Army in New Zealand is taking no chances about that happening to its officers, or men, in the bush of this country or any other. Mountain and bush warfare training has been proceeding several months and is to be much extended this year. When it began it was found that officers and men were at a like disadvantage, whatever their military training, unless they had previous knowledge of bush or mountain craft, as distinct from lieldcraft. Without this knowledge no soldier, officer or man, could safely travel in the bush, live in it and fight there for any length of time if confronted with an enemy who knew the bush. In fact, a man used to the tactics of the modern war of movement is likely to suffer from a form of claustrophobia when sent into bush or well-timbered mountain country. A decision was soon reached to form a bush and mountain warfare wing of the Army School of Instruction. Here batches of officers from all parts of New Zealand attend regular courses. After that, they should be capable of taking their own units on bush warfare training, passing on a knowledge of bush and mountain craft to thousands of soldiers. The wing works on the principle that in this type of warfare the platoon commander should be the chief instructor of his platoon in all subjects. A representative of “The Dominion’' spent four days on the course to get a iirst’liaiul impression of the training. Experienced Instructors.

There has been no “learn as you go’ policy on the instructional side. The instructors know the bush and they know war. Further, what is taught, is based cn the available experience of this war, from Burma, Malaya, the Philippines, New Guinea and the Solomons, all places where experience was dearly bought but which in time resulted in Allied troops dealing out more punishment and damage than they took. The course is no place for the irresolute. Pushing on in the waybacks up stiff bush and mountain trails, across creeks, through overgrown tracks and ankledeep mud and slush patches, down into the rough ami stony riverbeds and ofttimes cutting a way through supplejack and other impeding growth, the "students,” carrying their own gear, have it brought home hard why soldiers battling in the Pacific jungles get their loads down to barest essentials; half towels and blankets, sawn-off toothbrushes and eating utensils, fractions of soap cakes. In fact, anything that means extra weight must go. From normal conditions where the field of fire is limited only by the power and accuracy of weapons, they find themselves in country where the limiting factor is the field of vision which is seldom 50 yards and may be down to five. It is country where an enemy could be successfully concealed behind or up a tree a few feet distant; where even the shoddiest of marksmen could hardly miss.

With the "students” in opposing forces, they find out all these things for themselves. The ease with which ambush succeeds is a warning against slackness and a spur to acquire skill that may one day save their lives and kill off the enemy. No other type of warfare except perhaps that waged in the skies, brings it home more tellingly to a num that here is the place where he must depend on himself. Mixed Party. The party of officers at this particular course was mixed. There were three young United States Marines officers from Guadalcanal, three R.N.Z.A.F. aerodrome defence unit officers, including one on loan from the Black Watch Regiment who has -been on foreign service 19 years, two Maori Territorial officers from the King Country and Gisborne, and other officers from divisions and districts in most parts of New Zealand. Tile marines were an exceptionally keen bunch. The country, they said, was not unlike Guadalcanal, and they were able to make some useful contributions to the knowledge of all. They were anxious to learn all they could of New Zealand bush conditions. The wing encourages mutual contributions -by "students” of anything helpful to the job in band. The Black Watch officer, who had scouting experience on the north-west frontier in India, also had some worthwhile tips to offer. The wing has a sound instructional setup. Commandant and chief instructor is Major G. F. Yerex. who served in the Great War and was appointed to the New Zealand Stall Cortis. Some years ago he became head of the field section. Internal Affairs Department—in which capacity he organized and conducted the deer destruction campaign—and, when (he present war began, was recalled from the Reserve to the Staff Corps. Second in command, and .’in assistant instructor, is Captain C. S. Pepper, a Military Cross winner in Libya and former All Black, while the adjutant and an assistant instructor is Lieut. E. B. Davison, who served with (lie Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry. Ist N.Z.E.F. Ho is tin experienced mountaineer and hunter who was an Internal Affairs Department field officer before this war. Another assistant instructor is a New Zealand \ winner. Staff-Sergeant A. C. Huhne. The services of live n.c.o.’s. all field officers of the Internal Affairs Depart men I. are also used as required. Snare prevents a detailed description of all that is done on this course, but I here is one benefit that will live when Ihe modern equivalent of the sword has been melted down lo make a ploughshare. Thousands of men will have been introduced to Ihe I ush and mountains. They will make peacetime irampers. mountaineers and deerstalkers, keep themselves lit. anil learn still more resource. initiative, self-restraint anil that true spirit of sport.-mn iiship and comradeship which makes a man think of others first.