Bright blades flickering into straw-filled sacks
As part of their full 16-week training course, recruits were given four weeks of training in drill, artillery and bayonet use at Featherston Military Training Camp, in the countryside north of Wellington. This film shows Lewis gun instruction, and fixed bayonet training with straw-filled dummies. A history of the Trentham Camp recorded how: “The bright blades flickered into the straw-filled sacks, out again and in again. At each point the men made hoarse guttural noises, like football war-cries, and when the enemy was presumed to be dealt with they charged on for a line of trenches. The instructor had overtaken them... But he scarcely could be heard for the yelling of his men, mingled with the war-cries of other squads.”
Bright blades flickering into straw-filled sacks
As part of their full 16-week training course, recruits were given four weeks of training in drill, artillery and bayonet use at Featherston Military Training Camp, in the countryside north of Wellington. This film shows Lewis gun instruction, and fixed bayonet training with straw-filled dummies. A history of the Trentham Camp recorded how: “The bright blades flickered into the straw-filled sacks, out again and in again. At each point the men made hoarse guttural noises, like football war-cries, and when the enemy was presumed to be dealt with they charged on for a line of trenches. The instructor had overtaken them... But he scarcely could be heard for the yelling of his men, mingled with the war-cries of other squads.”
Year: c.1918
Length: 01:22
Credits: Filmed by: Luther W. Mence
Source: Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision
Catalogue Reference: F1475 Snow man's land [Expeditionary Force training, Featherston Camp]
Location: Featherston, Wairarapa
The quote is from Historic Trentham, 1914-1917, pp.169-170.
Featherston Military Training Camp opened in January 1916 to handle the extra training requirements for NZ Expeditionary Force reinforcements. It was situated on 1861 acres of land and had a capacity of 9850 soldiers. Infantry training was shared between the Featherston and Trentham Camps, while specialist units such as mounted rifles and machine gunners were trained exclusively at Featherston.
This film was shot by Luther Mence, a camp photographer. He was also one of many store-keepers who ran businesses on the outskirts of the camp, selling goods and services to the nearly 60,000 men who were trained in Featherston over the course of the war.
See also Neil Frances, Safe Haven: The Untold Story of New Zealand's Largest Ever Military Camp: Featherston, 1916-1919, Masterton, 2012.
Bright blades flickering into straw-filled sacks
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Featherston Military Training Camp
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0:00
Instructional staff double forward under the impassive eye of an officer at the Rifle Range Featherston Camp in the Wairarapa. (The Lewis Gun container is in front of the officer)
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0:04
Instructional staff double forward, watched on by an Officer, at the Rifle Range at the Featherston Training Camp.
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0:12
Views of staff firing Lewis Guns on practice range, supervised by Officers.
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1:00
Staff and officers inspecting targets at the end of the range and patching up bullet holes.
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1:12
Wide shot of group of soldiers practising bayonet charges.
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1:20
Bayonet practice with straw filled dummies.