CAPTAIN WALLINGFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 December 1915, Page 12 (Supplement)

CAPTAIN WALLINGFORD.

NEW ZEALANDERS PRAISED. VIVID STORY OF ACTION. HINTS AS TO SHOOTING. VALUE OF CADET SYSTEM. A letter has just been received in Auckland by Major M. Atkinson from Captain J. A. Wallingford, N.Z.S.C., who is row on his way back to New Zealand invalided. TTie letter was written from London, under date October 17 last, and contains interesting references to and deductions from the fighting on Gallipoli, in which he had charge of the machine-gun section, A.1.8. He makes some remarks upon the subject of marksmanship. "The whole of the fighting was a scramble from beginning to end," says Captain Wallingford, "and from what I can see of the whole thing, we, in New Zealand, are quite on the right lines, if we teach shooting with a little drill. The best crack shots are the only ones of any use-r-men who can mark down a quarry and then 'pot' him in the first shot; men who know how to use a telescope, and then, taking full advantage of coyer, know where to aim with the natural eye. Some men, after looking at an object through a telescope, cannot find the same object with only their natural eye.. This is where visional training comes in. Target-shooting must not be separated from it, or from fire observation, and use of cover. To this end I would abolish white targets altogether, would not signal misses, would allow coaching, and in some matches would let cover be used as an aid. Slings I would abolish, and resting of the forearm —Canadian position—l would make a penal offence! The more I think of it the more I am satisfied about .22 shoe ting for boys. A lad who is a crack shot with that arm would be useful in war, because one never anyone at a distance over 300 yds, and if one does one cannot see him to aim at.

"Until the New Zealanders occupied iMonash Gully there used to be 30 or 40 Australians 'potted' daily. This was soon put a stop to. Sniper were organied, with Lieutenant Grace, a Trentham man, in command. They had their regular 'pot holes,' two in each, with a telescope. That did the trick. I found the mounted boys were extremely good, especially the Auckland Mounted Rifles. "The officer question is for New Zealand quite simple as compared to Britain. This, I think, is due to the cadet system of training. I think that some of the best officers who ever went to regular regiments were the sergeants who came away with us, and got their appointments while in Egypt. The officers' class which was held in August, 1914, seems to have had all our present-day best men, so I certainly think that system of getting officers a huge success." NEW ZEALAND'S SPLENDID TROOPS Referring hostilities in the latter end of last August, Captain Wallingford says: "I watched that fight as if I were in the dress circle of a theatre. Our boys were simply splendid under fire from the Turkish guns. That fire was magnificently placed, and the serving of the guns was superb. "New Zealand can be proud of her boys. There are none to beat them, and I put a good deal of the credit down to our cadet system. I liked the Maoris very much. They dig well, are splendid sentries, and seem to do everything one asks. I think we ought to have regiments of them in each district."

WHEN TH? GUNS WERE NEEDED.

A reference follows to the death of Major Grant. "I was the last one he spoke to," says Captain Wallingford. "I had been placing some guns so as to protect our right flank, and had had a hot fight with the rifle. We caught the j Turks fairly napping. Try and imagine [a lot of rabbits with a few of ray machine-gunners and myself 'potting' at them at 250 yards. When they bolted into their run three machine-guns played on to them. First I would take the rifle and then have a turn at a gun, until none remained. The artillery played on to us from somewhere behind and hit a lot of the troops.

"After about half an hour of that I went to sec the brigade staff. I reached the apex and there found the Auckland Regiment with the Gurkhas getting ready to assault Chunuk Bair. Major Grant came to me and said, look here, Wallingford, we have to charge that hill, can you do anything for us?' I replied that I could if I was given time to bring up the guns. At that moment the brigadier gave orders to get away. There was a bit of a pause for someone to givs the lead. I stood fascinated because I knew it meant slaughter to step over that apex. Then all at once I saw Major Grant step out. He called to his men, and away they went like a pack of wolves breaking cover. It was awful watching one's friends and all the splendid fellows going to' their death and knowing that if I only had the guns I I rrudd silence the Turks in a few minutes.

DEATH OF MAJOR GRANT. "After they had been launched and had been smashed and held to a trench in front, about 120 yds away, the brigadier asked me to get up the guns and try and heat down the Turks' fire. Although the boys were 'dead beat' up they came, and we soon had the guns going from behind some bushes. Within 20 minutes tha Turks' /ire was beaten. We had to hang on, expecting a counter-attack at any moment Poor Major Grant was carried down that evening after dark. He died Iho. next day, I believe."

In conclusion, Captain Wallingford expresses the belief that at the of his voyage back to New Zealand he will be well again, and able to resume service.