SHORT NOTES ON THE 13-PE. M.L. GUN. 
171 
Range, 1800 yds.:— 
No. 1 Target. —5 common shell, percussion fuze. Gun and carriage splintered, 
3 dummies hit, target in rear nil. 
No. 2 Target. —8 shrapnel shell, percussion fuze. Carriage and whole detach¬ 
ment hit, 25 bullets, target in rear 2 hits. 
No. 1 Target. —8 common shell, time fuze. Cheek and axletree of carriage 
broken, 4 dummies hit, target in rear 3 hits. 
No. 2 Target.- —8 shrapnel shell, time fuze. Gun and whole detachment hit, 27 
hits, target in rear 5 hits. 
Range, 1200 yds.:— 
No. 1 Target. —14 shrapnel shell, time fuze. Gun dismounted, 2 dummies hit, 
target in rear 14 hits. 
No. 2 Target. —14 shrapnel shell, time fuze. 2 dummies hit, target in rear 
5 hits. 
The whole of this last series having been fired with time fuzes was due to a 
mistake of orders. Percussion might have given better results, as the trajectory 
of the bullets with time fuzes is very flat at such short ranges, and the parapet of 
the gun-pit therefore affords an increasing amount of cover; the amount of ground 
covered in rear, however, becomes very considerable. 
Deductions. 
Common shell with percussion fuze is always beaten by shrapnel with either fuze. 
The use of time fuzes diminishes its effect still further. Shrapnel shell with per¬ 
cussion fuze appears more effective than with time fuze at the pits themselves; the 
latter gives, however, very good results, and covers far more ground in rear than 
the percussion fuze. 
Shelter Trench, 
Range, 1500 yds.:— 
No. 3 Target. —12 common shell, percussion fuze. Breach in right flank of 
trench, 4 dummies down, none hit. 
20 shrapnel shell, percussion fuzes. 11 dummies hit by 12 bullets, parapet 
very much injured. 
20 shrapnel shell, time fuzes. 10 dummies hit by 13 bullets, 2 dummies down. 
Deductions. 
Again common shell seems to be almost useless. The effect produced by percussion 
or time fuzes, with shrapnel shell, is almost identical, and not very satisfactory; no 
doubt a longer range and larger angle of descent would give better results, as in 
the case of the gun-pits. 
As an instance of the accuracy of the practice on this day, it may be remarked 
that when using percussion fuzes 19 out of 30 shells struck the parapet, and that 
only one was 20 yds. over; the rest were within 10 yds. The parapet was 
only 2 ft. 6 ins. in height. 
