AMMUNITION SUPPLY.
=232.= _General instructions._
1. The necessity for an ample supply of ammunition for guns and rifles
makes the position of wagon lines and ammunition columns in action a
matter of great importance.
2. The object to be kept in view therefore is that the various échelons
should be so situated on the march that when an engagement takes place
it may be possible to arrange for a regular supply of ammunition from
rear to front to replace that expended in action.
The supply from ammunition columns is not necessarily restricted to
troops of their own division or brigade; any troops are to receive
ammunition on demand during an action, from any column which may be at
hand.
3. The work of replenishment is divided between:--
i. Units with the fighting troops.
ii. Units on the line of communication, working under the
inspector-general of communications.
4. The artillery ammunition available with the fighting troops is
distributed in action as follows:--
i. The firing battery.
ii. First line wagons. (Mtn. Art., 1st line mules.)
iii. Brigade ammunition columns.
iv. Divisional ammunition columns.
Details regarding the amounts carried for the various types of ordnance
are shown in “War Establishments.”
=233.= _Ammunition supply within the battery._
(_Wagon supply._)
1. The supply of ammunition will be, as a rule, first from the wagon
body and next from the wagon limber. When the ammunition in the wagon
body is exhausted it will be unlimbered and run out of the way, and the
limber will be run back till its axletree is in line with that of the
gun.
The captain is responsible for maintaining the supply of ammunition in
the battery.
_Mountain artillery._--The battery supply of ammunition is carried on
8 ammunition mules, of which 2 accompany the firing battery and 6 go
with the 1st line mules. The supply of ammunition will be from the
first pair of boxes with the firing battery, while the ammunition in
the second pair of boxes will be kept as a reserve, and only used in
emergency.
(_Limber supply._)
2. It may sometimes be necessary for the guns of a firing battery to
leave the wagons and trust to the ammunition in the limbers. The horses
will then be unhooked from the limbers as soon as the limbers have
reversed, and the limbers will be placed in position by hand on the
right of the guns, poles to the front, axletrees of limbers in line
with, and 6 inches from, the axletrees of the guns.
In the case of horse artillery taking part in a cavalry action, or of
field artillery, when limbered up, being charged by cavalry, it may be
necessary to draw ammunition from the limbers without unhooking. The
battery commander orders “WITHOUT UNHOOKING LIMBER SUPPLY,” and on
coming into action, the limber is halted 5 yards in rear of the trail
eye, the team facing to the rear.
In either case if the wagons arrive, they will not be brought up to the
firing battery, unless specially ordered, but will be halted in such a
position as to be available for the next move, when, if required, the
wagon limbers may be substituted for the gun limbers.
=234.= _Replenishment of ammunition._
1. When the captain becomes aware, either by personal observation or
by the receipt of information from the battery that ammunition is
required, he will send or order forward the first line wagons.
2. It is his duty to arrange how the wagons can best be brought up to
the firing battery and to inform section commanders of his proposed
arrangements.
If the battery is not under a heavy fire, and there is no danger of
disclosing the position of guns hitherto undetected by the enemy, the
wagons can be driven into position on the right of the guns, the teams
subsequently hooking into the empty wagons and taking them back to the
wagon line.
Sometimes it may be feasible to push forward a few wagons from the
first line wagon position to a point nearer to the battery, from which
the replenishment of ammunition can be carried out by hand, using
ammunition carriers.
3. Whenever the brigade commander, or battery commander if acting
independently, considers that the tactical situation or the position
the guns will occupy, make it desirable to have more ammunition with
the guns than is contained in the six wagons, he may order the first
line wagons to accompany the battery into action. In this case the
first line wagons follow the firing battery wagons. The latter form up
and unhook in the usual manner; the former halt as close as possible
in rear of the guns, unlimber, and the limbers return with the gun
limbers.
_Mountain Artillery._
When the ammunition in the first pair of boxes is becoming exhausted,
the captain orders up one mule per subsection from the 1st line; these
will be sent up under a N.C.O.
The reserve numbers take off the full boxes and load up the empty ones,
while No. 5 takes out any rounds that may be unexpended from the first
pair of boxes, placing them under the lid of one of the second pair.
The mules with the empty boxes will be led back to the 1st line by the
N.C.O. who brought them up. If the firing battery mules are separated
from the 1st line, six more ammunition mules will then be sent under a
N.C.O. to join them.
In order that the battery may always move with two full pairs of
boxes per subsection in the firing battery, the captain will see that
one ammunition mule per subsection loaded with a full pair of boxes
accompanies the firing battery mules, when the order to limber up is
given. The partly empty pair of boxes will be loaded upon the mule sent
up for the purpose, which will then join the 1st line.
The ammunition in partly empty boxes will be redistributed so as to
keep as many full boxes as possible, and mules with empty boxes will be
sent to the ammunition column to replenish.
=235.= _Brigade ammunition columns._
1. Brigade ammunition columns form an integral part of the artillery
brigades to which they belong. Besides supplying ammunition, they form
a reserve in men, horses, and _matériel_ to the batteries of their
brigade. If necessary their own efficiency must be sacrificed to make
good losses in the batteries. In cases of emergency help should also be
extended to batteries of other brigades.
2. Brigade ammunition columns usually march in the rear of the
fighting troops of their division, or brigade in the case of a cavalry
brigade not allotted to a cavalry division. =When an action is
probable a non-commissioned officer from the ammunition column should
accompany the headquarters of the artillery brigade for purposes of
intercommunication=.
3. The position of the columns during a battle will normally be
regulated by artillery brigade commanders in accordance with the
instructions of divisional artillery commanders. It may sometimes be
necessary for the higher commanders to issue special orders as to
their positions and as to the units they are to supply. The positions
selected should offer facilities for intercommunication and movement,
and should be about a mile in rear of the battery wagon lines.
4. On arriving at the position allotted him the commander of a
brigade ammunition column will inform the commander of the artillery
brigade of his arrival, and place himself in communication with the
units he receives orders to supply. He will provide the commander of
the infantry brigade ammunition reserve and each battery wagon line
commander with an orderly, who is to be used only in connection with
ammunition supply. One of the mounted men with the battery wagon line
should also know the position of the column and the best way to it.
5. If troops are scattered, it may be necessary to distribute the
sections of the ammunition column in order to bring the reserves of
ammunition nearer the troops engaged. Commanders of sections will then
deal direct with wagon line or infantry brigade ammunition reserve
commanders, keeping the brigade ammunition column commander informed
of the issues made by them.
6. On receipt of a message that ammunition is wanted, the column
commander will send forward the number of wagons or carts demanded
(under an officer if possible) the orderly who brought the message
being used to guide them to their destination. The ammunition is then
either transferred from the full to the empty vehicles, or an exchange
of vehicles is effected. If the latter procedure is adopted, it will be
necessary to transfer men’s cloaks and equipment from one set of wagons
to the other.
If the position of the wagon line or infantry brigade ammunition
reserve is much exposed, the empty vehicles should be withdrawn and the
transfer of ammunition carried out under cover.
7. Indents on ammunition columns are unnecessary. Receipts will be
prepared by the officer handing over the ammunition for the number of
full wagons or carts issued from the column, and will be signed by the
officer receiving them, who is responsible for seeing that they contain
what he requires.
The account of rounds fired by any unit during an action is not the
affair of the brigade ammunition column commander. Such accounts must
be kept under the orders of the commander of the unit.
_Field artillery (howitzer) brigade ammunition columns, and ammunition
columns with mountain or heavy batteries._
8. The procedure of field artillery (howitzer) brigade ammunition
columns and ammunition columns with mountain or heavy batteries, will,
as regards artillery ammunition, be similar to that laid down in the
foregoing paragraphs.
_Horse artillery ammunition columns._
9. The procedure of horse artillery ammunition columns, as regards the
provision of gun ammunition to batteries will be carried out as far as
possible on similar lines to those laid down in paras. 1 to 7 above.
(_See also_ Sec. =176=.)
=236.= _Divisional ammunition columns._
1. Divisional ammunition columns form part of the divisional artillery.
They are under the immediate orders of divisional artillery commanders.
Normally, their position on the line of march is regulated by
divisional headquarters, but may, if necessary, be fixed by army or
general headquarters.
2. Each divisional ammunition column consists of four sections, of
which the first three carry small arm and 18-pr. ammunition and the
fourth ammunition for the howitzer brigade and heavy battery.
3. When an action is imminent sections of the divisional ammunition
columns will be ordered to form reserves of ammunition at convenient
points, which will also be the refilling points for such sections.
(_See_ Sec. =237= (4).) The position of these points will be fixed by
divisional headquarters, if necessary under instructions from army
headquarters, and should usually be about two miles in rear of brigade
ammunition columns.
4. The divisional ammunition column commander should establish his
headquarters at the rendezvous selected for the divisional ammunition
park. (_See_ Sec. =237= (4).)
It is his duty to ascertain the position of this rendezvous if this
information is not sent to him, and to arrange for the replenishment of
ammunition within the limits specified in such orders as he may have
received from the divisional artillery commander.
5. Each commander of a section which is detached will notify his
arrival at his destination to the divisional artillery commander and
to the divisional ammunition column commander, and will also send an
orderly to open communication with each brigade ammunition column which
he is to supply.
6. The supply of ammunition from these sections to brigade ammunition
columns will be carried out on the same principles as those laid
down for brigade ammunition columns and batteries, ammunition being
sent forward to the brigade columns in the vehicles belonging to the
divisional columns.
7. There are no divisional ammunition columns for the cavalry division
or army troops.
=237.= _Ammunition reserves on the line of communication._
1. The ammunition held in reserve on the line of communications is
divided between ordnance depôts and ammunition parks. The proportion
of ammunition to be held at each depôt is determined by the
inspector-general of communications in accordance with the instructions
he receives from general headquarters.
2. The inspector-general of communications is responsible that the
ammunition reserves are pushed up by means of the railway and parks to
within reach of the fighting troops.
3. During an action, the ammunition park will be sent forward to a
rendezvous as directed by the inspector-general of communications under
instructions from general or army headquarters. This rendezvous should
be placed sufficiently far behind the fighting troops to ensure freedom
of movement to the latter.
As a rule the best position for the headquarters of the ammunition park
will be at railhead or corresponding locality but either the commander
of the park or his representative will be required at the rendezvous,
which will also be the headquarters of the divisional ammunition
column. (_See_ Sec. =236= (4).)
4. From the rendezvous sections or portions of sections will be sent
forward to the refilling points (Sec. =236= (3)) to replenish sections
of the divisional ammunition column in accordance with the demands of
the divisional ammunition column commander, who is responsible for
regulating the amount of ammunition sent forward from the parks to
refill these sections.
In favourable circumstances it may be possible to refill brigade
ammunition columns direct from park vehicles.
After reaching the rendezvous the movements of the ammunition park for
a cavalry division and for a cavalry brigade (with attached troops)
not allotted to a cavalry division will normally be regulated by the
headquarters of the cavalry formations concerned under instructions
received from general headquarters. Ammunition parks for these troops
carry ammunition direct to brigade ammunition columns or to regiments,
&c., as may be convenient.
5. Ammunition required to replenish ammunition parks will be demanded
by park commanders through the headquarters of the inspector-general
of communications, who is responsible that the ammunition required to
refill the parks is sent to suitable localities on the railway.
6. An artillery officer is allotted to each ammunition park who is
responsible for seeing that the lorries forwarded to the various
refilling points contain the nature of ammunition required. In order to
carry out this duty he should, during an action, locate himself at the
rendezvous.