The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-06-06 00:00:00

THE EASTER VOLUNTEER
MAN CEU VRES.

Official reports upon the recent Easter manceuvres
have been issued from the War Office. They contain
many points of great interest in connection with the
work and improvement in the training of the "Volun-
teer force. Lieutenant-General Sir George Willis,
K.C.8., in an elaborate review of the whole
manoeuvres, concludes as follows: "Taken as a whole,
the improvement shown by the volunteers engaged
in the operations at Brighton on April 4 and 6 was
most marked, and the greatest credit is due to the
officers, non-commissioned officers, and men, who
must have devoted- so much time and trouble, and
have incurred so much expense, in bringing the force
to such an advanced state of efficiency. The-following
were the chief errors noticed in the work performed
by the infantry. A tendency with many battalions
to advance when under artillery and infantry fire
in close formation, such as quarter columns, columns
of fours. A reluctance to lie down when engaged
with the enemy, and, when not called on to advance,
not sufficient readiness to take advantage of
cover. The order of attack was in many instances
not formed sufficiently soon. When at last the-
battalions did advance in extended order, from want
of sufficient practice (regimentally) the distances were
not properly kept between files, and the fighting line
often got into ,groups, which diminished ths available
front of fire, and would, in action, expose them to
unnecessary loss. Again from :want of practice in
work with other regiments in brigade, many of the
battalions were observed soon to lose the directions,
and thus got so mixed up with those on the flanks as
to cause some confusion. At times the firing was
rather irregular but most of the generals agree in
reporting that, the fire discipline has improved. In
many of the battalions the volley-firing, whether from
sections or half-companies, was noticed to las steady
and well regulated, the company officers- having an.
evident control over it. I would strongly recommend
that, in the training of volm,,eers, great attention.
should be paid to the method of firing;
also that the commanding officers shoal&
require more instructions to be given to the.
companies of their battalions individually in drill in
extended order, a drill which as laid down in Part 2
of the Field Exercise (from sections 22, to 26 in-elu-
sive), can be easily practised by even a small COll2-
pany in a confined piece of ground. Very great
advantage would, I am sure, be derived by the Volun-
teers if the number of brigade drills in the course of
the year could be increased. At present they have
so few that when a large force of men is got together,
many of the mounted officers find themselves rather
at a loss how properly to direct their battalions. I
would therefore recommend that when,two or more
battalions can be got easily together; brigade drills
should he arranged as frequently as possible. In-
stances occurred of the too close approach towards
each other by the opposing forces, and in one instance
bayonets were fixed, and the advance continued, much
too close to the defending force. The bands were in
many cases out of hand, and did not remain in their
proper places during, the attack and defence. Those
are errors which are quite within the control of regi-
mental officers to correct when their attention is
called to them."