1914:02 A Soldiers Life For Me

"A Soldiers Life For Me"

 

Men without previous military training also ‘joined up’ and the merging of the experienced and raw recruits was seen as the most efficient method of training. 

 

Military training camps were established at Trentham (Wellington), Featherston and Papawai (Wairarapa), Narrow Neck and Avondale (Auckland) and Awapuni (on the Manawatu Racecourse, Palmerston North). Later, at Trentham, temporary subsidiary camps were also established at Tauherenikau, Rangiotu (Northern Manawatu), Waikanae (Southern Manawatu) and Maymorn (on the north-western flank of the Rimutaka Range).

 

After five weeks’ elementary training at Trentham, troops entrained to Featherston for a further eight weeks ‘conditioning’ training. They then returned to Trentham by the way of a 30 mile route march over the ‘Rimutakas’.

 

Trentham became the principal training ground for infantry and the engineers, while mounted rifle, artillery and specialist units were based at Featherston. Narrow Neck would be used to train the Tunnellers, Maori Reinforcements and others from the Pacific Islands, while Awapuni Camp was used for medical training.

 

Trainees could look forward to a breakfast of curry and rice, or stew (both for two days a week), and for the other three days, there was mince and potatoes, chops and potatoes and sausages. Dinner consisted of either boiled or roast mutton or beef, various vegetables (always potatoes) and the men also received daily allocations of tea, bread, butter, jam and cheese.

 

For the next two years, the flow of volunteers was enough to keep New Zealand’s divisional strength force in action overseas without resorting to conscription.