DEFENCE TOPICS

Evening Star, Issue 21749, 18 June 1934, Page 13

DEFENCE TOPICS

HEWS FROM THE SERVICES

GAZETTE NOTIFICATIONS The ‘ New Zealand Gazette,’ No. 42, dated June 7, contains the following notifications;— Major 0. L. Ferens, Regimental Siipernumeray List, the Otago Mounted Rifles, is posted to the active list. Dated May 17, 1034. Lieutenant ,1. J. Buchan, from tho Hauraki Regiment, to be lieutenant, the Otago Regiment, with seniority from January 9, 1930, and is posted to the 2nd Cadet Battalion. Dated May 10, 1931. Lieutenant J. M.‘CTac, Ist Battalion, Otago Regiment, is transferred to the Reserve of Officers, Class 1. <b), R.D. 11. Dated May 11, 1934. Andrew Campbell Logan, to be second lieutenant (on probation), and is posted to the 2nd Cadet Battalion, Otago Regiment. Dated May 14. 1934. The ‘ Gazette ’ dated May 24. No. 38, contains the following further notifications:—

The period of command of Lieuten-ant-colonel A. Holland, Otago Mounted Rifles, is extended to March 31, 1935. Lieutenant O. G. Cox, Southern Artillery Group* (Artillery Section, Otago Boys’’ High School), to captain. Dated December 2Q, 1933.

THE NAVAL RESERVES TRAINING PTES The parade held on Thursday at the divisional headquarters was very successful, the attendance being up to the full standard. The various classes of instruction were carried out, and arrangements for next Thursday night’s syllabus drafted. After evening quarters on Thursday the division will carry on with its training by classes, after which the Director of Naval Reserves will address the ship’s company. The candidates who will form part of the new division to be drafted nextmonth are to muster at the headquarters on Wednesday; at 7.30 p.m., to pass the medical officers, Surgeon-lieu-tenants E, R. Harty and A. Perry, R.N.V.R. A reunion 'of all men transferred to (ist 11 of the reserve will be held at the divisional headquarters, Tewsley street, ,it 7.30 to-night. An interesting even.ing has been arranged, and as many of list'll ratings as possible are invited to attend. Supper will be provided._ , Then will fm up voluntary" training on Monday, and the firing practices are postponed up til'the following week.. . The following ord-telegnvphists have beep advanced to telegraphists, as from JimP 1. 19.14': Ernest E. Buskin 0.N.0/7219, John W. Faulkner 0.N.0/7225, John R. W. Bowler' 0.N.0/7210, Henry A. Gray 0.N.0/7200, Janies A. E. Pattillo OiN. 0/7115, Janies G. Williamson 0.N,0/7220; Ord.-sig. Richard E. Salter 0.N.0/7191, to signalman.

THE NEW CRUISER DIMENSIONS OF H.M.S. PHAETON The cruiser H.M.S. Phaeton, now under construction at the yards of Swan, Hunter, and Wigham Richardson Ltd., and which on being acquired by the Australian Commonwealth Government will be known as, H.M.A.S. Sydney, is of the Amphion (modified Leander) class (7,250 tons), and carries eight 6in guns. Her specifications are: Length 559 Jft. beam 55ft 2in, mean draught 16ft. She will be driven by four Parsons Impulse re-action turbines working four screws, and the designed speed is 32.5 knots. In addition to the Gin guns, her armament ■ consists of four 4iu anti-air-craft guns and eight torpedo tubes. Provision is made to carry two aircraft. This class represents a return to sanity in cruiser design compared with the overgrown am] overgunned 10,000-ton treaty type, states ‘ .fane’s Fighting Ships ’ iii general notes on the Leander class. The eight guns in four turrets is a disposition of armament which is regarded by the gunnery branch as tlio best number and arrangement for satisfactory control. The Amphion class has the engine and boiler rooms spaced alternately instead of the boiler rooms being spaced ainidships. , A prolongation of the after-structure permits of a plane being stowed on top of additional cabin accommodation. In the case of H.M.S. Phaeton it is possible that the bridge may be modified and a reversion made tc the tripod mast and control top.

THE CADETS FOUNDATION OF NEW CGMPAHY Under the control of Lieutenant J. J. Buchan, who has recently been transferred from the Hauraki Regiment, a cadet company is at present being formed at the Albany Street Intermediate .School. So far thirty cadets have enlisted, and from all accounts the company, when properly organised, will he a valuable addition to the 2nd Cadet Battalion.

EARL ROBERTS TROPHY The Otago Boys’ High School team held its elimination shoot at the Pelichet Bay range last Monday in order to select the team to represent the school for the 1934 Ear| Roberts trophy. Although weather conditions were , not conducive to good shooting, a cold southerly wind blowing down the range, the performances of ■ the competitors wore of a uniformly hjgh standard. The points scored totalled 270—25.6 more than were registered in last year’s elimination shoot. Advice will be shortly received from headquarters as to which teapi will represent the Southern Command. As a result of this shoot the following team was selected: —Cqrporal DHaig Hire leader). Regimental Quarter-master-sergeant It. P. Wallace, and Cadets .1. O, Hall. . A. Cowle, and M. D. Schofield. The team is at present carrying out conoentrativo practice for the' Victory Challenge Shield—a competition in which it gained second place last year.

INSTRUCTION CLASSES Classes embracing Lewis gun, infantry, and signalling instruction are at present being hold during each Monday of the present term for non-commis-sioned officers, and it is hoped that these courses will have a beneficial reaction on the high standard displayed by the cadets in their parades. CHRISTIAN BROTHERS' COMPANY The Christian Brothers’ Company now parades at the Drill Hall instead of at the school. All ranks are evincing keen interest in their work, and steady progress is being made in the Vickers, Lewis gun, and infantry sections.

YEOMEN OF THE GUARD OLDEST MILITARY FORCE The yeomen of the Guard, often erroneously referred to ns. the Beefeaters, are the oldest military force in the world. They claim descent from the Archers of the Guard of the King’s Body, who served the Plantagenet Sovereigns in the twelfth century, in August, 1485, they were constituted a permanent body by Henry VII. For more than 400 years they have preserved their title and quaint uniform—scarlet tunics faced with blue and gold, red breeches and stockings, broad-brimmed hats of dark blue velvet, with red, white, and blue ribbous, and Elizabethan ruff. They are a body about 100 strong and officered by a captain (usually a peer). They form the bodyguard of the Sovereign on State occasions. It has been their duty to attend him at his coronation, and at his death the Yeomen hear him to the grave. This iast ceremony was omitted in 1901, but at the funeral of King Edward VII. the Yeomen* marched from Buckingham Palace to 'Westminster Hall, where they watched by the body for three days and three nights. At one period the Guard were responsible for the personal safety of the Sovereign, They brought up his meals, tasted the food before it was placed on the Royal tabic, and carried nut every morning an elaborate ceremonial known as “ making the King’s bed,” while an officer of the Guard slept outside the King's bedroom.

The Beefeaters, or Tower Wardens, are attached to the Yeomen of the Guard,, but they are a distinct body. Beefeater is really a corruption of the French buffetier, an officer who attended the buffet or sideboard, the term being applied because some of the Yeomen of the Guard are always stationed at the table at Royal banquets.