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6

Sub-Enclosure.

CAMP REPORT, 1906.

The Commandant, H.K.V.C., to Major, General Staff.

Volunteer Headquarters, Hong Kong, November 27, 1906.

Sir,

I HAVE the honour to forward the attached report on the Volunteer Camp held at Stonecutters' Island from the 13th October to the 29th October, 1906.

Numbers. Out of a total number of 19 officers and 224 n.c.os. and men, 15 officers and 178 n.c.os. and men attended the camp, 4 officers and 35 n.c.os. and men were either absent from the Colony, on medical certificate, or had special leave of absence from camp.

The Hong Kong Volunteer Troop did not attend the camp, and are therefore excluded from the above total.

The average daily attendance was 13675. In addition to the above 10 cadets from the Victoria British School attended camp from the 19th October to the 26th.

The following table shows the average attendance and proportion of full strength on each day for the camps 1901 to 1906 inclusive :-

Strength, deducting those on Leave.

Attendance at Camp.

Date.

Average Daily Attendance.

Officers.

N.C.Os. and Men.

Officers.

N.C.Os. and Men.

Proportion of total Strength Daily.

1901

16

286

14

1902

16

234

14

1903

18

204

17

1904

16

210

14

1905

13

189

13

1906

15

189

15

444435

204

157

0.52

175

142 1

0.568

159

121.6

0.548

170

135.5

0.6

169

127.5

0.631

178

136.75

0'67

The average for this year again shows an improvement.

Drills.-I attach a camp programme* showing the drills carried out by all units. These were on the same lines as in previous years, but a few innovations were introduced, as, for instance, marching order parades, skirmishing, a field day in conjunction with the 2nd Royal West Kent Regiment and more ceremonial parades, and gun laying was practised at a moving target.

The field day on Saturday, the 20th October, was carried out on Stonecutters' Island, the scheme being furnished by the O.C. 2nd R.W.K. Regiment. The Volunteers formed a portion of the landing and attacking force, showing great keenness and carrying out their work satisfactorily.

Gun Practice.-Gun practice from four 15-pr. B.L. guns was carried out twice and Maxim practice four times.

The Maxim practice was on three occasions carried slowly, and arrangements were made to instruct the men carefully in the various failures that are liable to occur with these guns, by putting dummy rounds or bad cartridges, &c., in the belts at intervals; by this means a more thorough knowledge was gained by the men than by ordinary rapid practice.

The 15-pr. B.L. practice was carried at a towed target for the first time; the target represented a rowing boat or pinnace moving at about 6 knots, and having only a two-foot free-board was by no means easy for Volunteers who do not have many opportunities for practice, and a large number of them were recruits.

On the 22nd October elementary practice was carried out and sixty-one rounds were fired in four series. The ranges varied from 1,100 to 1,500. The guns were fired from practically sea-level, and there- fore the observation was extremely difficult, consequently the Battery-Commanders continually judged their rounds as range when really they were considerably over, and the general fault was that the B.C.'s gave the order for time shrapnel before the range had been correctly found. The target was frequently hit, but the range officer was unable to report the actual number of hits.

This elementary practice was of great value as instruction to all ranks, and improved the powers of observation of officers, and the rapidity and laying, &c., of the men. The gunnery instructor R.A. pointed out that greater care was necessary in clamping fuzes, and special instruction was therefore given in fuze setting before the next practice.

On the 27th October Colonel Kent, C.R.A., inspected the artillery units at gun practice, and the four 15-pr. B.L. guns were fired from the same site at a towed target.

Seventy-two rounds were fired in six series, and all the gun squads were changed on to the Maxim guns and fired at a barrel target, range about 1,000 yards. The Maxim practice was very good, and with the exception of a few missfires due to faulty cartridges with sunk caps the four Maxim guns were fired in every case without a jam; this was a distinct improvement on last year's practice, and I think points to the value of the careful instruction given at the practices on the range. The guns also have been kept in excellent condition by the corps armourer sergeant.

* Not printed.

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