Retrospect

Observation Post, Volume 1, Issue 1, 22 May 1942, Page 1

Retrospect

(By Major Nelson.) With the rapid and continuous ' reorganisation of artillery, units it is difficult to. keep track of the / antecedents of present- Batteries. However, subject to minor - ex- ,■ changes with-other Batteries the adding and subtracting of Troop, we find that 4th. Battery as at present - organised incorporated D . ■ Troop of Bth. Battery and A . Troop of 37th. Battery. In . turn, U-the first-mentioned troop was formed from the’ 19th; Medium -Battery,‘which connects the. present organisation with that existing before the war. '-- The 19th. Battery was, first equipped with 60-pounders and,in ' those days was horse-drawn, thus a large part of the Battery personnel were drivers and as a-result it was a “tough’’ unit. The .last night in camp 'during the annual , training was a lurid experience, but. as the Battery had the pick of each year’s batch; of .trainees, it was one of ■ the smartest units in Wellington.’ The - next innova-, tion was the appearance of font 6-inch howitzer and-two “Holt” ' -tractors; Still horsed as fa rias the Battery staff were concerned the unit clung jealously to its identity as a mounted parade, using' its “advance in column of sections” against the infantries’ “column of fours.” rolling its puttees downwards, wearing its. bandoliers instead of web. and clinking its spurs in high disdain. w Hard days ■ -we’re in store, however, when compulsory training was abolish‘d and the Battery itself lucky if it could nfu'BA’^tvfo r .j’f s annual camp. TlyW ToW 11 in numbers, : every father.' kii’n on his job. and the A of a Gig»f - Col. .(then'Capt.)' R. S. *. a By as Gunnery Instructor waffextra incentive to do good A&irk. Then ' came the war and the recall to the active) list of Major (then Lieut.) G.-R. Powles to take oyer command from Major Jenkins who proceeded overseas .with the First Echelon and later died