TERRITORIAL TRAINING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 November 1938, Page 6

TERRITORIAL TRAINING

WEEKEND MANOEUVRES AT RIVERSDALE. During last weekend the local Territorials, consisting of an infantry platoon, a trench mortar detachment and a section of mounted riflemen went into camp at Riversdale, where intensive training operations were carried out. ' On Saturday afternoon the lorries conveying .the troops were stopped two miles from Riversdale and an advanced guard scheme put into operation. When about a half a mile from the sea, they were fired on by a small enemy force which had landed and occupied the high ground near the Orui homestead. An attack was developed from the advanced guard and, the heights having been captured, fire was brought to bear on an imaginary enemy attempting to land on the beach, ball ammunition being used. During this peried. the trench mortar detachment carried on with gun drill using. dummy shells. After tea the three sections of the infantry plat-j oon took up defensive positi ns close to the beach and after dark a relief was carried out by the mortar detachment and the mounted rifles. Patrols were then sent out along the beach but in spite of this a mounted rifle section was successfully surprised by the enemy. On Sunday morning a defensive position was taken up right on the beach and a further enemy attack was repulsed. the Hotchkiss and Lewis guns being particularly effective. Recruits were instructed in the use and firing of rifle grenades early in the afternoon and finally all the troops took part in a company attack schema The tents were then taken down and packed, the camp tidied up and the lorries loaded. Just before leaving on the return journey to Masterton, Major J. H. Irving, on behalf of all those who had so thoroughly enjoyed the weekend. took the opportunity to thank Mr W. R. Levin for allowing the camp to be pitched and manoeuvres to be carried out on the Orui Station. His remarks were endorsed by Major J. W. Bird, on behalf of the officers of the Cadet Battalion who had been present at the carnp.