TO-MORROW’S “INVASION”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 587, 13 February 1929, Page 9

TO-MORROW’S “INVASION”

HOSTILITIES AT RED BEACH

ARMY. NAVY AND AIR FORCE

Arrangements for the mock battle, which will take place tomorrow morning at Red Beach, Have been completed. The public will be able to witness the attack from high ground on the southern and eastern sides of the Cars will be parked at Silverdale Church and Orewa Bridge.

The Port of Auckand will be defended L»y the Field Company of Enginners from a hostile army represented by the Ist Battalion. Auckland Regiment, the Royal Marines, engineers and signallers. For the purpose of the manoeuvres it will bo supposed that the Great Barrier has been seized as an advance base, from which the attackers will bo transported to Red Beach, where they will land from the warships’ boats. In reality the transportation will be made from Devonport. But for this, and the fact that all ammunition will be blank, the battle will leave little to the imagination. Yesterday afternoon the troops in camp at Narrow Neck marched to the naval depot at Devonport behind the regimental band, and were met en route by the naval band, which had been sent to play them to the depot. The troops were shown their positions in the warships’ boats and a platoon went over the Philomel’s side into the boats, and were towed to the beach. To-morrow’s manoeuvres will be the first in New Zealand in which the Army, Navy and Air Force will combine.

This morning the Diomede joint <1 the Dunedin in the stream, ready for each to take aboard a complement of troops at 7 o’clock this evening. The cruisers will be accompanied by the sloops Laburnum and Veronica and the minesweeper Wakakura, all proceeding to the rendezvous off Orewa. The minesweeper will tow a barge laden with material for a pontoon pier d 0 yards long, which will be erected by the engineers at the beach. The landing is timed to take place before daylight to-morrow morning. The naval squadron will go in to about six fathoms of water, where the men will be transferred to the boats and taken to the beach under cover of tht» ships’ guns. Information regarding the position of the enemy will be given by scouts and the Bristol fighter, which will also drive off imaginary hosti e aircraft.

Although the ammunition will l.e blank the bursting of shells will be simulated by smoke bombs and the thudding of the ships’ guns, and the of machine-gun and rifle fire w ill make the scene still more realistic. Thu manoeuvres are regarded as being/very valuable, especially in regard to the training of the officers and non-commissioned officers. The baltie will be watched by Major-General R. Young, General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces, who will discuss the attack and defence with the officers at the conclusion of hostilities. The troops will re-embark and will return to camp to-morrow afternoon.