ARMY MANOEUVRES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 24, 12 February 1937, Page 3

ARMY MANOEUVRES

Our Own Correspondent.)

9 i— i « - ■ ■ ■ 1st Wellington Regiment In Camp MOTOR PLATOON'S SKILL

(From

WAirUJt4.UtCAU, Last iNlgllt. "•Wai" hroko out hetween Dannevirke and Hastings to-day, when manoeuvres were carried out "by the troops encamped at the Waipukurau racecourse, the operations giving the 1st Wellington Eegiment's motor-cycle platoon an opportunity of displaying their value under actual service conditions. A scouting plane from the Hobsonville air base also took a prominent part in the operations, doing reconnoitring for the Hastings forces. Early this morning lorry-loads oi troops passed through-the town to taka up pcsitions near the maia road hetween Waipukurau and Waipawa, and, with. these forces went the motor-cycle pla'ron as an- advance guard. As. thq troop3 advanced the scouting plane, flying low, came overheadr and, as it swooped down, a fusillad3 of hlank cartridges greeted it, driving it off. Immediately messengers were dispatched on the motor-cycles to warn the oflicers in charge of the various ss.'tions of the Dannevirke forces. Disclainiug to follow the road, these messengers wenfc across country, giving ample evidence of their skill on their machines. When the manoeuvres came to an end, it was presumed that the advanceof Ihe Dannevirke troops had been cheeked. A fresh series of operations were carried out to-night at dusk, when the troops encamped near Mr 'A. C. Russell 's property on the fiatuma road. The operations will be continued at dawn to-morrow.