Training For War / L'entraînement de guerre

[English] During the Great War, training at Camp Hughes emphasised basic infantry soldiering where the new recruit learned drill, weapons handling, manoeuvre and tactics. In addition certain specialties were instructed. Signalers learned Morse code and Semaphore signaling with flags, heliograph signaling (utilizing mirrors and sunlight) and use of day signal lamps. , Musketry was of great importance and was instructed on a 2000 yard wide by 400 yard deep rifle range containing targets for 500 troops. It was here that they learned to fire the Canadian Ross Rifle. The rifle range is likely the only remaining example of the type of range developed for "Kitchener's New Armies" of the First World War. Only 400 yards deep, the pre-war standard was 1000 yards. The huge influx of civilians into the army, coupled with the close proximity of opposing trenches, resulted in adoption of a reduced marksmanship standard. , With the introduction of the machine gun in trench warfare, the Machine Gun School was established at Camp Hughes where soldiers learned to operate both the Lewis and Colt Machine Guns. , The Grenade School utilized its own trench system. Here troops practiced working their way down an "enemy" occupied trench using dummy grenades, and finally threw live grenades from the trench into pits dug near its end. , (Background photo) , Gunner, 36th (St. Boniface) Field Battery and 13 pounder field gun, Camp Sewell, 1913-14. ,