A DAY AT THE CAMP

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2964, 19 November 1925, Page 2

A DAY AT THE CAMP

MILITARY SPORTS. Yesterday morning' practice with the six inch howitzer battery was indulged in by the 17th Battery in camp on the Racecourse. The guns were placed in position by the tractors at the foot of the hill at the end of the Target Reserve and four guns were engaged during the morning in “shelling the enemy,” which was trying to ( make a landing on the ocean beach. “0. Pin,” the directing station, was located on a hill about a mile further down the run and was connected with the battery by field telephone. From the top of the Target Hill it was possible to discern with the naked eye the explosion of each shell as it landed on the sand hills skirting the ocean beach.

In the afternoon the officers and men of the camp observed “an afternoon at home,” to which local residents were invited to be present. A large number took advantage of the excellent day and accepted the offer and the camp presented a very animated scene dotted with the vari-coloured summer dresses of the ladies. Military sports were indulged in during the afternoon, results of which are as follows: 120 Yards Military Handicap: ■Gunner Hami'Pmi (Lew’s Gun Section) 1. 75 Yards Military Handicap: Gunner Hamilton (Lewis Gqn section) 1. 1 Mile Steeple (spike) : Signaller R. Kent 1.

Kent put up a good performance and finished with a great hurst of pare. He was a member of the relay team which won the Australian Championship, and is a member of the Ilutt Harriers.

Cock fighting.— Gunners ' Winnie and Waetai (B. Sub. Section).

This event proved the most interesting of the day. Six pairs entered. Wjinnio and Waetai won a well-deserved fight. 100 Yards (spike) : Bombadicr Cunninghom 1, Signaller Tamplin 2. -140 Foxton Championship.— Bombadicr Cunningham 1, M. Walls 2. Four local runners started in this event and two camp men. The local runners were M. Walls, Coley, Rankin and Williams. “Murray” ran a good second to Cunningham.

After the above events had been got off a military display was given with the tractors and guns. Four howitzers were brought into position opposite the grandstand in the centre of the grounds from the eastern end by the tractors and shots were fired over the pine trees in the direction of the sea. The men gave an excellent exhibition of handling- the guns and everything was earned out with rapidity and precision. Lieut. Dillon, who directed the fire, stated that the shells landed practically the same distance apart as the guns were when they were fired, but of course, the spectators were unable to see the effects of the shots as the range was 4,000 yards. The guns were then “taken . out of action,” each tractor towing two guns with limbers. ' A demonstration was tlxen given with the eaterpiller tractors over obstacles, the Mayor, (M. E. Perreau Esq.) being given a “joyride” on one of the machines. The onlookers were amazed witlr the ease with which these powerful tractors overcame the obstacles in the path and much interest was evinced in them. Manipulation is simple and it is possible for the machine to pivot round on one end without any forward movement. Each tractor 5 weighs five tons and can do up to six miles an hour, being rated at 40 h.p. The consumption of kerosene is- at 3 to 4 miles to the gallon. Afternoon tea was provided for those present by the officers and was dispensed on the lawn. At the conclusion the Mayor thanked the officers and men for their hospitality and complimented them on the display they had given that afternoon.

Lieut. Cowie, officer commanding the battery, returned thanks to the citizens of Foxton, who have done so much to make their stay so enjoyable. The camp was then thrown open to the visitors.

To-day the guns were shifted to a new position, in front of the Chinese Gardens, at Motuiti. In conversation with our representative yesterday, Lieut. Dillon stated that practices were made as realistic as possible. In this ease, the enemy, who were engaged yesterday, while attempting to make a landing on the beach, were successful in forcing the landing. The defending troops bivouaced the niiVht at the position taken up yesterday and to-day moved to a new joosition and again engaged the enemy which was located on the hills skirting the beach. “In' other words,” he said “our position is the same as the Turkish side of Gallipoli.” Our representative was also shown the chart used for range-finding and other purposes at “0. Pip,” and was informed that by means of the chart everything was worked out and the instructions given to the guns, which, 10-day, were completely out of sight of “0. Pip,” over a mile away.

Lieutenant Dillon has only been in New Zealand a few. months, having recently arrived here from India.

To-morrow firing will again be indulged in and on Saturday the 17th Battery will break campj and the 7th Battery, Palmerston North, will commence their seven days training.