FIRST BIVOUAC

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 79, 24 November 1931, Page 6

FIRST BIVOUAC

HOWITZER BATTERY UNDER CANVAS AT ARAWA PARE FURTHER DETACHMENTS The first of the bivouacs — previously ealled camps — under the new volunteer territorial system, commences in Rotorua this morning, when sixty ofhcers and men of the 18th Heavy Howitzer Battery, New Zealand Artillery, will go under canvas for a week's field training and live shell practice. Next Saturday, when the men return to their homes, a further detachment from the 20th Light Howitzer Battery, will take over the camp and carry on training until the following Thursday when the camp will finally break up. This week's camp is commanded by Lieut. S. J. O. Stewart and other territorial officers in camp will be Lieut. A. T. Rawle and Lieut. J. A. Mars. Captain C. J. S. Duff, R.N.Z.A. will be camp adjutant and Captain C. T. Gillesp^e and' Captain G. B. Parkinson, of the rpermanent staff, will also be in camp. _ The 18th Battery will carry out live shell practice on the Atiamuri Road about seven miles from Rotorua on Thursday and Friday of the week while it is probable that an aeroplane from Hobsonville air base will also participate in the operations. Squadron Leader L. M. Isitt will probably pilot the 'plane. The officers in charge state. that the facilities at Arawa Park raeecourse, where the camp is established, are exeellent for the purposes of a bivouac. It is proposed to hold a large camp on the racecourse in February of next year when four batteries of the 1st Field Brigade, New Zealand Artillery ,will be under canvas for a period of training.