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2. In view of the fact that the Committee emphatically state that additional infantry, trained specially to machine gun work, is more valuable in the defence of the Colony than additional garrison artillery, it would appear that it is necessary to again reorganize the corps.
3. In my Report for 1902-1903 I have fully stated the great difficulties in the way of training Volunteers in Hong Kong in the service of guns in the fixed armament, although I have always concurred with his Excellency the General Officer Commanding and the Officer Com- manding Royal Artillery in the great importance they attach to this work. The members of the corps have taken up the work in spite of the difficulties, and done their best, but there is no doubt. that, purely from a question of popularity, they naturally prefer the lighter work entailed by drilling with light machine guns.
4. The decision of the Colonial Defence Committee is that one company should be kept to work with the fixed* armament and that the other should be reorganized.
5. In my opinion, this idea cannot be carried out successfully, as a choice would have to be given to the men as to which company they preferred to join, and it is natural to suppose that the great majority would favour the lighter work, and so render the garrison company too small for further use, and there would be small prospect of keeping up its strength to 116, which is considered necessary.
6. Paragraph 9 of the Committee's Report states that drill with guns of fixed armament combined with light machine gun drill is inadvisable, but, from my knowledge of the men and the local conditions, I am of opinion that the best and only way to make the corps useful in every respect according to the requirements of the Committee is to reorganize both companies and make them machine gun companies (or infantry specially trained to machine gun work), but at the same time to add a stringent regulation that every member must do a small fixed number of drills annually in the forts in order to become efficient. In this way I could at any time tell off a number of men to the forts according to the C.R.A.'s requirements for mobilization, and hold the remainder in hand for machine gun and infantry duties. An occasional parade at Stone- cutters, or one of the forts, and a few instructional drills and lectures during the annual camp, would keep up the knowledge of heavy gun work, so that on mobilization the men should be fit to take their places to assist the artillery, though a very high standard of excellence cannot be obtained. This scheme should be popular with all ranks, as they will undoubtedly feel that they are ready to be called upon under any circumstances for the defence of the Colony, or for the suppression of any local disturbances, and their efficiency as good rifle shots with a knowledge of machine gun work would be very valuable in the forts. in the case of land attack. The small number of heavy gun drills required from them, if carefully arranged, would not be so arduous as under present conditions, more especially if drill guns are mounted at Scandal Point as suggested, and would give the men sufficient knowledge to render them of great assistance to the artillery if required.
7. The scheme of making only a portion of the corps into garrison artillery was fully considered at the time of the last reorganization, and it was then decided that to get well-trained garrison artillerymen it was necessary to make all do this work in order to prevent discontent among a portion of the corps, and the men therefore took up the work because it was clearly put before them that garrison artillery was required.
I would add that this corps have kept their twelve Maxim guns, and the fact that training with them is desirable has never been lost sight of.
This correspondence being confidential, I have not been able to get the opinion of the members of the corps, but I am convinced that a change such as I have proposed would make the corps more popular, and should check the decrease in numbers, and, in my opinion, they would be more useful to the Colony than if all the work with the fixed armament was stopped.
The reorganization should not be difficult to carry out, but I would suggest that approval be obtained from the Colonial Defence Committee before any steps are taken, in order that the change, when it takes place, may be final.
I have, &c. (Signed)
C. G. PRITCHARD, Major, Commandant, Hong Kong Volunteer Corps.
To Chief Staff Officer, South China.
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Minute by Officer Commanding Royal Artillery.
WITH reference to the attached correspondence, I have the honour to state as follows:- 1. I entirely concur with the proposals put forward by the Commandant Hong Kong Volunteer Corps, in the accompanying letter, and think that they best meet the requirements of the case. They meet the views of the late Officer Commanding Royal Artillery, Colonel Johnson, in paragraphs 1-7 of his letter (No. 3), with which I also agree, particularly paragraph 3 as to the suitability of the Volunteers for manning the artillery, fixed or movable, of the fortress.
2. These proposals also agree with the view expressed in the end of paragraph 8 of the Remarks, No. 311 R, of the Colonial Defence Committee. I understand that all members of the corps receive a musketry training, and will therefore be available for employment in quelling local disturbances. I am of opinion, therefore, that the main objects mentioned in paragraph 9 of No. 311 R will be complied with.
* For "fixed" read "movable," see Enclosure in No. 3.-Sec. C.D.C.
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