20.
ANNUAL
TRAINING CAMP.
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Four week-end Camps were held during the latter part of
November and beginning of December at FANLING and were again
favoured with clement weather.
Training was based as previously on the Corps role in the
Defence Schemo, special attention being paid to Machine Gun
direct-fire at a moving target by night and normal night-firing.
A complement of Anti-Gas Respirators was received last year
and all men underwent training in Defence against Gas during Camps.
A tactical exercise was held during the last camp and was
designed to instruct and practise all Commanders of Sub-Units in
control in the field with particular reference to the Infantry
which is composed solely of Portuguese. The Scheme was re-enac ted
on the sand-table on three subsequent parade evenings and a marked
feature was the individual interest of the junior ranks. The
Field-day brought to light the fact that the younger Portuguese
cannot be regarded as 'fighting-fit' after an approach-march of
more than five miles.
Volunteer pilots of the Air Arm afforded practice in
Anti-Aircraft.
The Corps was visited during training by His Excellency the
Governor and the General Officer Commanding the British Troops in
China.
The suggestion last year that the Annual Camp should be
held in one continuous period of ten days was later considered to
be impracticable and would lead to depleted attendance as a number
of volunteers are employed in 'one-man' appointments. Also, many
firms have reduced their staff and it is increasingly difficult to
arrange for leave to attend full Camps. Each year improvements are
being effected on the Camp Site which is ideal for our purpose.
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