Chapter X
The Machine Gun Battalion
Peroid 1st March to 25th March, 1918

The Disbandment of the 4th Company left four companies in the Division, which on the 1st March were concentrated at Hondeghem, and came under the command of Lieut.-Col. D. B. Blair, D.S.O., M.C., a Staff Corps Officer who had served with marked success and ability since the Main Body left New Zealand, first throughout the Gallipoli campaign, and subsequently in every operation in France in which the New Zealand Division was engaged. The Battalion Headquarters was as follows:—Major J. B. Parks, M.C., second in command, Lieut. A. B. Fordyce, adjutant, 2nd Lieut. W. H. D. Coltman, quartermaster, Lieut. E. D. McRae, transport officer, Capt. B. Aldred, N.Z.M.C, medical officer, and Rev. H. Parata, chaplain. The four companies became "A," "B," "C," and "D" Companies, but soon changed to Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago Companies, by which names they will be referred to from now on. Major J. W. D. McKnight became O.C. Auckland Company (formerly 1st Company), Major C. G. Hayter, O.C. Canterbury Company (formerly 2nd Company), Major L. M. Inglis, M.C., O.C. Otago Company (formerly 3rd Company), and Major L. C. Chaytor, M.C., O.C. Wellington Company (formerly 5th Divisional Company).

The strenuous winter months in the line had undoubtedly reduced the efficiency of the Companies, and active training was at once organised, with the object of smartening the men up. The reduction of efficiency showed itself in the lack of heartiness and energy which was inevitable from three months of the trying conditions that obtained in front of Polygon Wood. The training in splendid weather worked a magical change, and by the end of a week the heartiness and energy displayed by all ranks left nothing to be desired.

General Russell inspected the Battalion in full marching order on 12th March, and complimented Lieut.-Col. Blair on the splendid showing it made. The transport was carefully inspected. This was the first time that the whole transport of the Companies had been paraded together, and its size, equal to the transport of an infantry brigade, greatly surprised the Divisional Commander. By this time transport officers had learnt their job, and inspections did not cause the same alarm and apprehension as twelve to eighteen months previously.

When the Machine Gun Corps was formed, very few of its officers had had any experience in the care and management of horses and transport equipment. The abnormal conditions of warfare in France prevented the section officers from gaining any knowledge of this important duty, and the whole of the responsibility fell upon the transport officers, who themselves were lacking in experience.

During 1916 the condition of the transport was very adversely commented upon, but in 1917 a decided improvement took place. The transport difficulty was the inevitable result of the pre-war failure to seriously tackle machine gun training.

After the Armistice (25th November, 1918) a conference was held at General Headquarters by the senior machine gun officers of the British Army, at which the transport question was discussed. There was a concensus of opinion that horse-mastership should be taught more thoroughly to all machine gun officers, because the section commander in open warfare may be away from his company, and must be responsible for the care of his transport. It was stated that the average section officer knew practically nothing of horse mastership. The conference recommended that drivers should be trained in tactical driving in the same way as artillery drivers—galloping into action over rough ground, driving by day and night, use of ground and covered approaches, and knowing how to read a map. Also that the whole training of the transport must be on similar lines to the field artillery transport, and not remain on an R.A.S.C. basis. A further recommendation was that in peace, when ample time is available for training, section officers, under their company commanders, should have page 112complete charge of the vehicles, harness, animals and drivers belonging to their sections.

About a week after the formation of the Battalion, the "smartening up" training was discontinued, and tactical practices in co-operation with the infantry were undertaken, also firing exercises. The firing exercises, however, could not be continued, because the owner of the land on which the range was erected obtained a "clearance certificate," which entitled him to eject the troops training to help drive back the Hun from Sacred France, and put in their place the tillers of the soil.

Shortly after General Russell's inspection word was received that the Corps Commander intended visiting the Battalion. Accordingly, on 23rd March, Lieut.-Gen. Sir A. J. Godley, commanding XXII Corps, inspected the Machine Gun Battalion while it was carrying out a field training exercise, and made very complimentary remarks upon the manner in which the work was done. General Godley addressed the officers after the inspection, pointing out to them the strenuous work they would soon be called upon to perform, and how he hoped that the esprit de corps had sufficiently developed to enable "the youngest unit in the N.Z.E.F." to give a praiseworthy account of itself in the near future.

At this time word had come through of the German offensive in the south, which necessitated the Division cutting short its period of rest and training to proceed to the threatened area to help turn back the last gamble the Hun would make to win the victory that would enable him to spread his Creed of Kultur upon the whole world—civilised and uncivilised.

During the Battalion's stay at Hondeghem, it was privileged to attend three lectures given by Captain Bles, R.W.F., on "The Battle of Verdun," "The Battle of the Somme," and "Strategy." Although the lectures were voluntary, they were fully attended and closely followed by all. The lecturer dealt not only with the actual battles, but also with their strategical reasons. Probably there is nothing better for the rank and file than to understand why certain operations have been undertaken. The man of the ranks moves as he is ordered, and he fights to the death. He knows that an attack is made and continued until successful, often at a terrible sacrifice; he page break

Officers of 5th (Divisional) Company, Grantham. December, 1916.
Standing—Lieuts. R. E. Bibby, G. E. H. Naylor, E. J. McGregor, L. Allan, A. G. Davies, A. B. Fordyce.
Sitting—Lieuts. C. M. Smith, J. B. Mawson, M.C., Capt. R. D. Hardie, Capt. L. C. Chaytor, Lieut. A. H. Preston, M.C.

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Transport Officers and Sergeants of the Machine Gun Battalion receiving orders from the Battalion Transport Officer,

page 113knows that so much ground has been gained, but also knows the enemy is still ahead of him. He does not know why so much sacrifice is necessary. Lectures such as were delivered by Capt. Bles enlighten the mind of the man in the ranks, and help to increase his sympathy with the General Staff. He is taken into its confidence, and is helped to think, when the elements are against him, that if he fails in his allotted task, not only is his particular unit affected, but probably the whole Army. If ever again our armies are called upon to protect the Empire and Civilisation, it is sincerely to be hoped that at the proper time the man in the ranks will be taken into the confidence of the Higher Command, and have explained to him the strategical reasons of past operations.