228 
12-PE. a UN WITH ELEPHANT EQUIPMENT. 
small stores and three of ammunition. (Two of these six boxes of 
ammunition always contained friction tubes). 
Each animal in the 1st line was led by either a European driver or 
a native gunner or driver. 
The 2nd line consisted of the remaining ammunition animals, under 
the command of the captain or Q.-M.-S. 
Equipment. 
Cradles. In the Rawal Pindi Arsenal are a complete set of cradles for a 12-pr. 
battery, including guns, carriages, wagons, and 3rd line. We only 
drew six gun cradles and six gun-carriage cradles; these are made of 
wood strengthened lengthways by means of iron bars. 
Skids. The parbuckling skids are some 9 feet in length; square in section 
with sides of about 3J inches ; at one end is a short chain and hook to 
fasten the skid on to the under part of the cradle when mounting or 
dismounting the gun. 
Lifters. The lifters are of bamboo, about 3 inches in diameter, in the middle 
is lashed a piece of wood, rectangular in shape; in it is cut a semi¬ 
circular groove, for the axle-tree arm to rest in when mounting or 
dismounting the carriage. The parbuckling ropes were ordinary drag 
ropes of every day use. 
Ammuni- The ammunition ordered to be taken per gun was:—72 shrapnel, 2 case 
tl0n ‘ shot, 72 T and P fuzes, 74 cartridges, and 150 friction tubes. The 
boxes were the ordinary Mountain Battery pattern, with partitions to 
carry 7 rounds ; they were not altered at all for the 12-pr. shells. In 
each box were packed 5 shell, 5 cartridges and 5 fuzes, as well as 
friction tubes in certain of the boxes, which were marked with a T on 
Ammuni- the outside. As these boxes were not intended for 12-pr. shells some 
tion boxes. tow an d packing were necessary to prevent the contents moving about 
Portable too much. The portable magazines were always kept strapped on to 
magazines. the gun-carriage; in the right one were the sights, and in the left one 
were 3 cartridges, 2 case shot, and one shrapnel ready fuzed. 
Ammunition and Transport Animals. 
Mules. The ammunition mules were a fine lot, and very well up to their 
loads. Those for transport purposes were of course much smaller, but 
carried their loads well. 
Ponies. The ammunition and transport ponies were Punch animals; these 
had originally been offered by the Rajah of Punch to the Indian Gov¬ 
ernment, but the latter being unable to accept them, purchased them 
for transport purposes. These ponies were small thick-set animals, 
about 11.2 or 11.3 hands in height, and considering' their size carried 
their loads wonderfully. They had a clear maund of ammunition on 
each side; thus with the boxes and saddle the weights on their back 
must have been a good three maunds (240 lbs). Each subdivision had 
its own ammunition told off as under :— 
