AUTOMATIC GUNS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 November 1932, Page 8

AUTOMATIC GUNS

CAVALRY BRIGADE TESTS

HORSE CARRIAGE BEST

The 2ad Cavalry Brigade of the 'lmperial Army has been experimenting with light auiomatics ana clo e support weapons. The brigade is composed of the 4th-7th Dragoon . Guards, ltoyal fcteots Greys (2nd Dragoons), ]tjiu-sth Lancers, with the lltli Huscais (.armoured cavalry) attached. The regimental organisation has this' your unaergonie. a change in , reject of ihe' carriage of light automatics. The hiptchKisi» (dght automatic) was withdrawn from service, and the Vickers gun had temporarily taken its place, cut is no longer carried in lorries.

CARRIAGE ON HORSE'S. It has be.n decided t.o revert to the old method of ‘‘pack” or hor.-.e carnage, and ita distribution in the regiment is 1 four guns to each m chinegun group and one to each of t..e sabre troop. Tire Greys atone. are completely equip.ed .with a. new light automatic gun for experimental purposes. The trials .'ire directed to ascertaining if this new weapon is capable of fulfilling both the light automatic and Vickers, gun roles. Similar experinii mts are being conducted with 1 V’t automatics of new design for the infill try.

The aim of the authorities is to find a gun which will be lighter than the Vickers ( and more reliable, than . the Lewis automatic, and :•« make one gun do the., work for. which two guns are now employed’. The weof mecnanical vehicles for the carriage of mac-hine-guns was. decided upon, some yens ago with a view to reducing, the weight carried by .a horse and to increase the radius of action of cavalry.

It was then, realised that certain tvpes of country p esented gre ter difficulti' A to. cars than to pack homes, and that driving a mechanical vehicle in.military formation was a more exhausting duty, .especially, at night, than riding, a horse. Experience, however,, has proved that the mechanical ',vehicle does not supply a suitable form of gun transport for cavalry, and ,L .understand that all commands are unanimous in favour of replacing the cavalry -machine-gun on the back of the- home. .! • • 11 ; ! v ; ARTILLERY SUPPORT..-

• W'Mi- the Cavalry Brigade, the 90i Field. Brigade R.A.—au mechanised unit—is, co-operating. This, rvlationshin ha« to dp with-the nro’lem of the. close support, gun . The -Rova] Hnr c e Artillery is the normal arm for working with cavalry,' but it is deficient in gun power. Hence the. trials now proceeding with the dragon-drawn figld gun.;;,- . •• •> r< *

Each battery of the 9th, Field Rriar- ., a de is equipped with the small (No. 1) wirelem sets. So- far t’’e exrerinients made by this brigade in offering close Ruonort, to the cavalry have- been gen-. erallv satisfactory.. These. .trials with .the light s dragon suggest., that .sooner o,r. ilaifer- the close support ,u*eapnn .of the "PVfIITV will be mechanised. Meanwhile, trials are also being 'carried out with a .T 7 horse-drawn howitzer with, a •specially, diftdgned carriage.. The cavalry are now supplied with smdl wireless sets for communication’ with the regiment., although some doubt seems to exist as to whether the rofT.'weutal personnel. is .sufficiently - skilled to op°rat?' them. It is thought that the personnel should staff and operate +he sets .forming part of the regimental equipment.