DEFENCE TOPICS

Evening Star, Issue 22147, 30 September 1935, Page 13

DEFENCE TOPICS

F&SSJ QU 13 PARADE o . GROUND [By Sam Riiowni;.] NAVAL RESERVES DIVISIONAL PARADE The Otago Division will muster at divisional headquarters on Wednesday, at 7.30 ii.m., when the syllabus of training us lor last week will he carried out. The new ratings will receive instruction in aiming practice before going to tho Pelichet Bay range on Saturday. Tho annual musketry course lor 1935 has commenced, and will continue on Saturday, October 5 and 12. All ratings belonging to the division are to make arrangements to carry out this course. SMALL-BORE RIFLE TEAMS The following teams will fire for the Keith Ranisay Cup to-night:— Gunnery Team.—A.B. R- G. Baskett, A.B. S, C. Peterson, A.B. W. A. Dennison, A.B, W. K. Skene, A.B. AV. L. Allan. Alino-sweeping Team. P.O. 1). S. Simpson, Ldg. Seat A. B. Kerr, Ldg. Sea. L. Ogg, A.B. R. Wheeler, A.B. F. W. Bcecroft. Seamanship 'team.—P.O. A. Al. Finlayson, O.S. S. Ogg, O.S. H. J ; Partel, ’ A. K. Meiklcjolin, A.B. H. IV. Biggs. V/S Team—Yen. Sigs. L. Berryman, Veo. Sigs J. Collier, Sig. G. Kerr, Sig. J. Hanlon, Sig. W. Wright. W/T Team.—P.O. Tel. J. W. Faulkner, Ldg. Tel. L. D. Bewley, Tel. A. B. Le Suer, Tel. E. E. Brown,, Tel. N. M. Millah Teams will he on the divisional range at 7.30. SOCIAL AND DANCE Tho last monthly dunce lor the year 1935 will be held at divisional headquarters on Satui'dav. The same arrangements as for the previous dance will he carried out.- A very enjoyable evening can lie looked forward to by all those attending. MDUNTED RIFLES TWO-DAY COURSE A two-day course for members of the Taieri Month Troop of the Otago Mounted Rifles was held during the week-end. The time was devoted to musketry work, and the annual musketry and ,Hotchkiss gun courses were fired. * COURSE FOR MACHINE GUNNERS A course of instruction covering five consecutive nights will be held at the Drill Hall for recruit machine gunners of the regiment. ARTILLERY 12TH (FIELD) BATTERY The 12th Battery paraded on Wednesday evening, and was inspected by Lieutenant-colonel P. H. Bell, D. 5.0., N.Z.S.C., who was accompanied by Lieutenant-colonel 5.(6. Scoular, commanding the Southern Artillery Group. After the inspection the battery went to divisions, and'thc inspecting officer saw the unit at work- Colonel Bell expressed his satisfaction with the work being carried out. The battery will • hold a week-end camp at Wharo Flat in the near future, full particulars will ho issued later. 14TH MEDIUM BATTERY On Monday last the 14th Battery held its annual presentation of prizes and trophies won during the past training year and during annual camp. There was an excellent attendance of nil ranks, and th 6 battery was inspected hy Lieutenant-colonel S. G. Scoular, officer commanding the Southern Artillery Group. , Also present were officers' representing other units and also a number of friends of members of Che battery. Prior to the trophies being presented a short series of gun drill and lire discipline was carried out for the purpose of demonstrating to the visitors present the method by which the battery’s dpi Howitzers are controlled in action. THE PRIZES. The following are the prize winners : • Silver , Howitzer (competed for annually by al! medium artillery in New Zealand) Lith Aledium Battery, N.Z.A.. (Dunedin). Tnterbattery staff competition (silver cup, competed for annually by 12th and 14th Batteries) —14th Medium Battery. N.Z A. Battery staff competition—L. Bdr. G. T. APKersey 1, Gnr. T. N. Jones 2, Gnr. W. H. Davidson 3. Sub-section competition—B Sub-sec-tion (Sergeant G. L. Bingham). Gunlayers’ competition—Bdr. A. D. Bond and Bdr. S. ( AI‘A. Buchanan .1 (equal). Driving competition—L. Bdr. J. L. Dawkins and Gnr. A. G. Burrows 1 (equal). Fancy driving—Gnr. F. E. Larson. Tnter-sub-sectiou basketball competi-, tion—A Sub-section (L. Bdr. I. A. Morrison (captain). At the conclusion of the parade Sergeant E. Afurphy was presented with a silver wristlet watch hy the other members of the battery in recognition of the fact that he was the only member of the battery belonging to the Otago representative team which was successful in winning the Ranfurly Shield in Christchurch, The battery will parade on Monday next. THE OTAGO REGIMENT - INSPECTION BY COL6NEL BELL Lieutenant-colonel .P. H. Bell, D. 5.0., N.Z.S.inspected the Otago Regiment at work on Tuesday i cuing. I The sub-units carried on with their

usual work? and Colonel Bell watched each one with deep interest. The transport, section is making good progress, and will shortly hold a halfda v parade, when work with the limbers will bo carried out. It is also hoped to carry out a week-end trek at some future date. . SPEED ADD.POWER THE FUTURE BATTLESHIP Once again the question of the size of the battleship, the decisive factor in naval warfare, lias been raised, writes Paymaster Rear-admiral Ransom in the ‘ Daily Telegraph.’ It is, not the size ot tho vessel that should be in dispute, but what is the most’powerful ■ fighting unit. This has increased in size as the tacticians called for new requirements, mid the technicians were able to provide them, hi other words, naval officers and the constructors, in consultation, aimed to produce the battleship of the most fighting value. It must, be obvious that such a unit must ho, the most economical of all fighting ships. Whatever the Admiralty of to-day may agree to, we cannot forget that the Admiralty, when altogether unhampered by', international agreements, wished to construct ships of the super-Hood type, of greater tonnage than in any previous type. The main difference in their new de-. sign from other battleships was _ the nrovision of the highest speed possible. The accepted type of battleship fails on account of its slow spefcd, and that of the battle cruiser because of its lack of sufficient armour. Combine the two types, as the Admiralty wished to, and the battleship becomes more than ever the dpminator of naval warfare. With more speed, she gains greater initiative and a vastly extended sphere of control. .She takes the-place of the old-type battleship and of the battle cruiser,' and forces an economy in consequence on naval estimates. Always with her speed she will be in possible action, or in close support,, wherever tile enemy is attempting to dictate conditions at sea. It is not surprising that Italy should he tho first nation to produce the new typo of battleship which otir Admiralty wanted to produce some years ago, as Italy has the credit,of first suggesting the design of the all big-gun ship, the Dreadnought type. The creation of this now type, to-day by Italy happily compels our Admiralty to construct similar type battleships. The word “ happily ” is truly apropos, as nothing but the best should he considered good enough for a -naval Power which, before international agreements- led to the construction of vast numbers ‘of admittedly inferior fighting ships, always aimed to bo the

efficient guns and ships possible to fight with.

That these should in the end be’ the most economical, the highest value for the money expended on teem, is m reality only logical.