MOUNTED RIFLES VOLUNTEERS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 118, 4 June 1937, Page 6

MOUNTED RIFLES VOLUNTEERS

Sir Andrew Russell's Reminiscences RECRUITS IN PLENTY The account of the inception of the Hawke's Bay Mounted Rifles squadron, astold to ihe Herald-Tribune yesterday by Mr J. D. Rivers, has called forth the following remarks by Major-Gonera] Sir Andrew Russell, of Hastings, '-who jras the first captain of the squadron : lA wavei of enthusiasm for volunteeiing following the South African War," said Sir. Andrew, "brougbt the Mounted Rifles into being. Unlike the position to-day, there were recruits in plenty and the fianks were soon full." Among the namea which came to Sir Andrew' b mind were Mr S. Pattison, of the staff of "Williama and Kettle Ltd., .who wai the first aergeant-major, and Mr George Elliott, of Dalgety and Co., Ltd., first quartermaster-sergeant, the positions of these two being later taken by Messrs W. Baxter-Jones and Bob Le Quesne. Other members included Messrs Arthur Hyde and Svm Heighway, both of whom were keen rifle shots to whom the squadron team owed much of its success, though it never succeeded in winning the Coleman Shield, the Blue Riband of the volunJeer oorps in Hawke's Bay. "The Wellwoods and Mr Joe Rivers were the corps' mainstay in the mounted competitions," he continued. Others were the ,two Groomes, sons of Mr Mickey Groome, Messrs Alf Ellingham, Gharles Shattky, Tommy Stewart, the blacksmith, W. Stratton, one-time secretary of the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club, and Leon Fail, the bugler — and a very good one. Mr Tuck, of .Williams and Kettle, Ltd' 8. staff at the Spit, then a member of the permanent force, was the corps' guiding mentor jn military matters. "On the return from the South African "War," said Sir Andrew, "Messrs Joe Catherall, Bernie McCormack and H. Connop joined up, and their experience was invaluable in the field-train-ing which was made a speciality, and which wai carried out at the annual and week-end camps. Thanks are due to the different land-owners who wero always ready to place their paddocks, woolsheds and5 even their killers at our disposal. "Oocasionally inspeetions by 'brass hats' from Wellington gave rise to amusing incidents. One trooper, Kyle by name, who had somehow lost his place, on being asked where his section was, promptly replied, 'In Willowpaxk road.' There was also the Maori who was questioned about the range of his rifle. He replied with good-humoured inaccuracy, 'Oh, five oi six miles^ I guess.' "The present drill-hall was built by the efforts of the squadron and by their infantry comrades, the Hastings Rifles, being officially opened by the then Prime Minister, Mr Richard Seddon. The squadron took part in all the eeremonials of those early days, including the Duke of York's visit, and furnished guards of honour to successive Governors, while it also took part in the manoeuvres on the occasion of the visit of Lord Kitchener. On the introduction of the territorial system, the squadron became merged into the Wel-lington-East Coast Mounted Rifles. "Times ehange and we chang© with them," concluded Sir Andrew Russell. "Horses are seldom seen now save on tho farm or in tlio hunting-field, cars and cycles have brought about many sports and amusements within tbe reach of those who scarcely gave tliem a thought 30 years ago; the air attracts the venturesome. But it would be a loss to New Zealand if its rising manhood lost the liabit of service for its couutry, or missed tbat sense of comradeshlp which is enjoyed -by those who have worn the same uniform and sbared the same experiences in camp,"