Raw Recruits Badgered by Military Men

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 576, 31 January 1929, Page 1

Raw Recruits Badgered by Military Men

Marching Is Tiring In Heat of Summer MOCK BATTLE AT OREWA Raw recruits —dozens of them — all sweltering under the rays of an Auckland summer sun. “Left, right; left, right —right wheel!’’ The sergeant-major’s unmelodious voice has risen to a crescendo now. Anthony, the bank clerk, and Bill, the mechanic, have a common grudge against 'he sergeant-major. They scowl at him. After all, why should they drill when there is no war on? And what right has the sergeant - major to order them about? Gross injustice. Marching is Uring work this weather. Trainees have been moppink perspiring brows for several weeks past at camps at Narrow Neck and Ngaruawahia. Most trainees will mop brows until March. The training period in the Auckland district is in full swing. Resentful bank clerks are being dragged away from their ledgers by horribly enthusiastic military-looking people. For a week or so, there will be mad scrambles for food, rifle cleaning and commands from the military robots. Next Wednesday the First Battalion of the Auckland Regiment and the Northern D /_>ot Engineers go under canvas. Nearly 600 trainees will be in camp. Gallipoli Touch During the camp, a mock battle will be staged at Orewa. There will be photographers, war correspondents and spectators when batches of territorials scramble ashore from warships which will be brought into commission for the landing. There will be a defending party, and Gallipoli will be enacted again without danger to life and limb. Orewa will be an interesting spectacle. Khaki-clad figures in their hundreds packed on to a warship will be a reminder of war-time days, even though the spirit of war is decidedly missing. At Ngaruawahia the First Battalion of the North Auckland Regiment and the First Battalion of the Hauraki Regiment will be encamped from February 13 to February 23. The First Battalion of the Waikato Regiment will be in training from February 20 to March 2. At Narrow Neck at present 275 officers and non-commissioned officers of 19 secondary schools in the Northern Command are in camp. The training course ends on Saturday Auckland Grammar School, Hamilton High School, Mount Albert Grammar, Seddon Memorial Technical College! Takapuna Grammar, Whangarei High and King’s College have the largest representations. One consolation is left to the territorials, in spite of the badgering of sergeant-majors. They have a better time at camp than they do under the awkward parade system.