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shows that the battalion had been issued approximately 18,000 rounds of 1910 ammunition. The poor quality of the ammunition accounted, in the opinion of the commanding officer, for the fact that more did not qualify. The report goes on to state that three machine gun schools had been conducted, with goo results, and, amongst other things, good progress had been made in map readin field work and bayonet fighting. The Inspector-General's report concludes with these words: "This unit is well organized, well disciplined and has made a good advance in training. A very good unit".
The report on training made by the commanding officer and referred to in the Inspector-General's report states: "All personnel have been taught to use the rifle and carried out T.O.E.T. (Tests of Elementary Training). All of effective personnel have fired Part I (a) and (b) Miniature Range instruction with the 22 rifle. No actual classification with the 303 has ben done yet.' With regard to the light machine gun, the commanding officer reports: "The A.A. (anti-aircraft) platoon have been thoroughly trained with the Lewis gun. All ranks have fired the 25-yard classification. An additional 8 men per company are now being trained in the use of the Lewis gun as an A.A. weapon". With regard to the Bren gun, it is stated that: "These guns not being available, training in accordance with S.A.T. Vol. I, Pamphlet 4, could not be carried out, but lectures in mechanism have been given with the aid of charts". With regard to bayonet training, the report states: "All effective ranks in H.Q. and Machine Gun Companies have been thoroughly trained in the use of the bayonet". As to the anti-tank rifle: "All personnel required to be trained in the use of the Anti-Tank Rifle have been trained up and including T.O.E.T. As there is no ammunition for this weapon, no actual firing of the gun has been possible". The commanding officer states, among other things, that: "The interest and enthusiasm of the troops is high
The degree of efficiency re machine gun training is very satisfactory." Before the battalion left for the West Indies 380 of the men had fired Parts I and II of the rifle classification at the St. Charles Ranges at Winnipeg.
In May, 1940, the unit was changed from a machine gun to a rifle battalion and was warned for duty in the West Indies. This involved a reduction in strength to that of a garrison battalion. On leaving for the West Indies the battalion was fully equipped with rifles and bayonets; it had 16 Lewis guns, 4 Bren guns, and 4 anti-tank rifles. On arrival in the West Indies it received 5 additional Bren guns. In the spring of 1941 two 3-inch mortars were received and one Thompson sub-machine gun was obtained on loan from the Imperial forces. The battalion remained on the reduced establishment until the spring of 1941. It was then advanced to the higher infantry establishment and some --but not all-of the additional men required by the higher establishment were sent to the West Indies from Canada.
The West Indies island (where the battalion was stationed has been an Imperial garrison post for more than one hundred years. It is a mountainous island, having two military stations-one at
and the other at The Winnipeg Grenadiers made up practically the entire garrison of the island and were charged with the duty of providing internal security, aid to the civil authorities, and the protection of the island against attack from outside. One company was stationed at all times at
and had very little in the way of garrison duties to perform. It was therefore able to spend practically all its time in training. Because of the mountainous terrain, the training was mainly individual, section, and platoon training and the time was spent in practising mountain warfare. The troops also carried out platoon and company tactical schemes.
At
the battalion had heavy garrison duties to perform. These comprised the staffing and guarding of an internment camp, the guarding of detention barracks, and the providing of ship guards on incoming and out- going vessels in the harbour. The personnel not occupied in guard or regi-
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mental duties were given individual training in bayonet fighting, the mechanism and employment of the Bren and Lewis light machine guns and the anti-tank rifle, stalking, the use of cover, fighting patrols and the building of road blocks. In addition to its defence duties, the garrison at
was required to ve one company available at all times on 30 minutes' notice, under the defence scheme of the island as laid down by the War Office.
According to the evidence of Brigadier Kay, the battalion, while in the West Indies acquired a thorough knowledge of the use of rifles, bayonets, Bren guns, Lewis guns and the anti-tank rifle, and this applies to all ranks. All were trained in bayonet fighting and practised constantly. During Brigadier Kay's tenure, ammunition was not available for firing practice, but only for use against an enemy, but 70 additional men had fired Parts I and II classi- fication while in the West Indies, before the battalion returned to Winnipeg. On the battalion's return to Winnipeg in October, 1941, and after it had been warned for duty at Hong Kong, the St. Charles Ranges were set aside for the unit for one week and some 600 fired a course with rifles at various ranges using various types of targets.
According to a report made by Colonel Sutcliffe on October 6, 1941, all elementary training in musketry had been completed and refresher courses taken. With regard to the Bren and Lewis guns, the mechanism, drill and tactical handling of the guns had been thoroughly covered by the rifle companies and the anti-aircraft platoon, while the remainder of the personnel had been given elementary training. No range practice had been done with these weapons. The mechanism, drill and a limited amount of "tactical handling" of the Thompson sub-machine gun had been taught, only one of these guns, according to Colonel Sutcliffe, being available to the battalion in the West Indies.
Colonel Sutcliffe also says that no training was done with either the 2-inch or 3-inch mortar, as 2-inch mortars were not available and the 3-inch mortars were only received just prior to leaving the West Indies. Colonel Sutcliffe appears to be mistaken with regard to the 3-inch mortars, as two of these weapons were issued to the battalion in February, 1941, and Brigadier Kay says that the battalion had these mortars and that a large percentage of the men were trained in the stripping, assembling and tactical handling of the mortar, but not in its actual firing.
Colonel Sutcliffe also appears to be mistaken in his statement that only one Thompson sub-machine gun was available, as in a report signed by him and dated July 14, 1941, he says: "Arrangements were made to borrow two Thompson sub-machine guns from Ordnance. These are now on hand and instruction has commenced." In a report by Colonel Sutcliffe a week later he says: Classes on the Thompson sub-machine gun have commenced (in spare time) and are being enthusiastically attended."
With regard to the anti-tank rifle, Colonel Sutcliffe says the mechanism, drill and tactical handling had been completed, but no range work had been done, and that there had been no training with grenades.
He also says that most of the rifle company personnel and portions of the headquarters company had been instructed in field-craft and had carried out practical training, and that anti-gas training had been carried out regularly and thoroughly.
With regard to the seventy-five recruits who had joined the battalion in the West Indies, Colonel Sutcliffe reports that at that time they had received no basic training at all. He also appears to have been mistaken with regard to this, as the records of the men concerned show that they spent five weeks at a Basic Training Centre before going to the West Indies. He says, however, these men in the West Indies had been given a full basic training course, having reached their sixth week before embarkation for Canada, and training was to be continued.
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