Evening star., 1927-09-18
D. E.. NAVAL RESERVE

serve Battalion Of the District of Co.
lumbia, Commanded by Lieut. Comdr
Finney Bascom Smith, was inspected
by the commandant of the Washing
ION Navy Yard, under whose jurisdic-
ton it has been placed.
Rear Admiral A. L. Willard, com.
nandant of the yard, who recently re-
ported for that duty, appeared at the
armory of the battalion in the navy
yard Monday night and saw the or
ganization with a record attendance.
He expressed himself as we'll pleased
with the showing made, and in a brief
address told the officers and men how
necessary il was to maintain reserve
at high state of efficiency for service
on ships of the active fleet in time of
a national emergency.
The battalion was mustered by
Lieut.. Harry J. Nichols, executive Off
Ger, and went through an inspection
by divisions. Admiral Willard then
W.. shown how well the men had
been trained in the manual of arms
and infantry drill. These were fol-
lowed later by loading drill at the
guns, knotting and splicing and signal
drill.
The officers and men appeared to be
much pleased that the commandant
was taking such interest in an organi.
cation which had made rapid progress
under the command of Capt. Smith.
Every officer and man was in proper
uniform, which brought forth special
comment from Admiral Willard.
Preparations now are being made
for the annual inspection by a board
of Regular officers detailed by the
Navy Department, which is to be held
the middle of next month. The local
divisions and the battalion, as a unit,
are striving in their training to per-
feet themselves in order to capture
the two trophies which were present
ed to the Navy Department by the
United States Naval Reserve Officers
Association, to be awarded annually
10 the battalion and division of Naval
Reserves which make the best aver.
age figure of merit during the coming
annual inspection.
One of the important steps in this
preparation is the establishment of the
graded schools in the local battalion
Tor the instruction of the men, so ar
ranged that they will be prompted as
they absorb the subjects taught. They
are so arranged that the veterans are
not required to take subjects in the
schools designed only for recruits. BY
these means it is the desire of the of
ncers to keep something new always
before the men and thus retain their
interest, which will in turn mean
regular attendance at drills.
The officers of the local Reserve bat.
talon last week were hosts at a din
ner given at the Manor Club, on the
Olney pike. to Lieut.. Comdr. Alfred
). Wolfe, u. S. N, commanding of.
ficer of the Reserve training destroyer
Allen and instructor of the local Re-
serve battalion. Comdr. Wolfe is due
for a relief on this duty, it was said,
and the officers express much regret
at his impending departure, pointing
the local battalion to it's present high
standard of efficiency. On the other
hand, Comdr. Wolfe told the Re.
servists at the dinner that he is whole
heartedIy in favor of the Reserve, and
pointed out that it was a great asset
to the Navy in time of a national
emergency, when rapid expansion
must be made in the naval service and
in positions which only trained men
can fill. 1t is the function of the Re-
serve to train the officer and enlisted
personnel to take their stations
promptly aboard ships of the active
fleet, and in this movement, he said,
the local Reserve battalion was cer-
tainly carrying out this function.
The small caliber rifle range, which
has been in course Of construction for
several months in the basement of
the present armory at the Washing
ton Navy Yard, has been completed,
it was announced, by Lieut.. Nichols,
and plans now are being made to put
it in commission promptly upon the
receipt OF ammunition. 1t is planned
to organize a series Of interdivision
competitions, with a view to stirring
up interest in rife firing among the
members Of the battalion.
When the U. S. S. Allen, with local
Reserves aboard, completed it's third
cruise and was preparing to leave
Squadron 8 of the Atlantic scouting
feet, to which it was attached for
maneuvers, the squadron commander
sent signal to the Allen congratu-
lating the officers and men for the
fine work done during the cruises.
The officers and men prize this mes.
sage, as it means considerable to a
departing ship to receive a signal Of
this kind after a period Of service
with an active fleet.
Lieut.. George c. Miller, Aviation
Squadron, has been ordered to the
Naval Air Station, at Anacostia, for
his Is days Of training, it was an
nounced. Lieut.. Gunior grade) A. P.
Taliaferro, jr., completed his Is days
OF training last week, and was placed
on the inactive list.
Ensign A. F. Mitchell has been
ordered transferred from the ship
control divisions to the aviation di-
vision on his own request.
The following men enlisted in the
local Reserve during the week and
were assigned to the divisions follow
Ing their names: Joseph A. Fitzhugh,
4435 Prospect avenue, Brentwood,
Md, fireman. second class, 1st Fleet
Division. and Holbert Berry Hill, 406
sixteenth street southeast, boat
swain's mate. second class, eligible
list, to be assigned to a division as
soon as a vacancy occurs. Hill is an
ex-service man.
The record of Norman W. Dawson,
154O Fifteenth street, machinist's mate.
third class. has been received at the
local Reserve headquarters. He has
been assigned to class F-2.
Because of the shortage of funds
several men have been relieved from
duty as shipkeepers aboard the de.
stroyer Allen, Reserve training ship.
IT was pointed out that while the
local battalion was allotted sufficient
money to pay the men there is not
enough money in the subsistence al.
lowance to feed them for the entire
year.
Those relieved are Charles G. Coale.
chief commissary steward. He has
been at the Naval Hospital here for
several months, and local headuuar.
ters says that he will be retained
there as supernumerary; John Ed.
ward Stone, James A. Mentges and
Walter l.. Burke, all seamen, second