GOOD ALL-ROUND

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17279, 21 September 1916, Page 3

GOOD ALL-ROUND

MERITS OF THE SEVENTEENTH

REVIEW BY CHIEF OF STAFF,

The work of the Seventeenth Reinforcements was reviewed by Colonel C. M. Gibbon, Chief of the General Staff, in the course of his address to the men at Feathcrston Camp on Tuesday. The Colonel emphasised the special points, in behaviour and discipline, to bo expected from their training. The Mounted Rifles, lie said, had probably been longer in camp than anv reinforcements previously, and 'heir training had benefited accordingly. The draft was strong, and well up to the standard of previous Mounted Rifles. Their shooting had created record. High as it was before, they had beaten it. Tho Artillery was a good draft, well up to the average of any sent in the past. Their shnot'ivT with live shells was very satisfactory indeed, and shiwod their training was good. The Field Engineers had been in camp longer than any previous draft of Engineers, and had been trained well. Wet weather had interfered slightly with their training, but not sufficiently to cause any serious interference. * Tho Signal unit of the Engineers was as good a draft as any yet sent. Their work with the artillery and machine gun draft was extremely satisfactory. The machine gun specialists had probably had better opportunities than previous drafts c f specialists. Ho hoped that when they arrived a+ tho base they would bo well reported on bv the instructors an the other side. The Infantry signallers were as good as previous drafts. With tho Infantry generally. Colonel Gibbons said lie was gratified. Thca were a good all-roun-d draft, with good men and ofliccrh, particularly as they had had to work under d fficulties. They had had a few extra days ir, camp in which to make up for time lost through had weather. The men were fit, well trained, and with tho proper spirit, as shown by their behaviour on the maren over tho*hill—a march performed under had weather conditions and mere difficult owing to the fact, that they started from tho W ellington side instead of from the I'eatliorston 6ide. Colonel Gibbon proceeded to emphasise the importance of discipline, quoting Sir William Birdwood’s statement that without discipline troops woro of no use. He urged tho men to be careful not to miss the transports at ports of call. Tho man who fell out by the way was no use at all, and all the money that had been spent in training him was wasted. The man who absented himself from the firing line was called a traitor, but what should they sny of tho man who failed to get there? Colonel Gibbon also urged the necessity of saluting, as tending to produce good discipline. GOOD SHOOTING. SEVENTEENTH’S FINE RECORD. The 17th Infantry, though they did not establish a record in firing their trained soldiers’ course at Trentham. have good reason to be pro-ad of their prowess with the rifle, having put up the second highest Reinforcement average yet achieved on the range. They are thus pronounced as.the second best draft from the shooting point of view, but had hard luck in having to firo in wo:rse weather than the Sixteenths, who broke the record. That being so. though their average was 4-5 lower, tho Seventeenths are considered as being about equal to Die best. Four of the Seventeenth companies shot very well, putting up average figures of merit of 111 and over, D Company registering as high as 114.4. Tho following tnblo shows the actua’ figures of merit won by the various companies of the Seventeenth Infantry in firing tlioir trained soldiers' course at Trentham :—A Company. 107.0; B Company, 111.0; C Company. 111.8; D Company, 114.4; E Company, 111.8; F Company, 106.8; G Company. 109.8; H Company, 105.2; J Company. 107.9. 17th Infantry average: 109.5.

The average figures of merit won by the various reinforcement drafts in the same course aro as under:—

In firing the standard test of collective grouping at 500yds the Infantry Reinforcements averaged 66.7.

4th Roinforcements . 85.4 5th Roinforcements . 103 3 6th Infantry . 91.1 7th Infantry , 90.5 1st Batt. N Z.R.B. . 87.5 2nd Batt. N.Z.R.B. . 95.6 8th Reinforcements . 102.8 9th Reinforcements . 100.8* 3rd Batt. N.Z.R.B. . 93.2 4th Batt. N.Z.R.B. . 92.0 10th Reinforcements . 101.3* 11th Infantry . 101.6* 12tli Infantry . 107.2* 13th Infantry . 106.1* 14th Infantry . 93.5* loth Infantry . 101.2* 16th Infantry . 114.0* 17tli Infantry . 109.5* 'Fired new musketry eourse.