MOTORISED UNIT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 April 1938, Page 6

MOTORISED UNIT

OPERATIONS IN WAIRARAPA DISTRICT NIGHT SPENT IN MASTERTON Considerable interest was aroused in Masterton yesterday afternoon with the arrival in town of the B Squadron, Manawatu Mounted Rifles (Motorised), which is at present carrying out operations in the defence of New Zealand against an imaginary attacking force. Before their arrival in Masterton yesterday the troops were engaged “on active service,” near Featherston. They are the vanguard of a main body stationed at Trentham. The Mayor, Mr T. Jordan, met the unit on its arrival at the Masterton Borough boundary and accompanied the troops to the Drill Hall, via Queen Street. The squadron is a self-con-tained unit, complete with its own travelling kitchen, water plant, light and heavy machine guns, radio and anti-aircraft equipment, but even so, with the rapid means of motor transport now employed in modern warfare, it is only a minute or two before the squadron passes a given point. The unit is in charge of Captain Burford Norman.

At about nine o’clock this morning the squadron left for Weber, some of the men proceeding via Alfredton, and some via Pahiatua. They are keeping in touch with each other en route by means of wireless telephone and morse, communication being established every fifteen minutes. A careful record is being kept of the speed of the vehicles on different types of roads.

During their stay in Masterton overnight the men were accommodated in the Drill Hall and last evening attended a dance held in their honour at the Municipal Hall. All the visitors thoroughly enjoyed the time they spent in Masterton, and expressed their appreciation of the hospitality extended to them.