40 
ACTION COMMAND OP A SIEGE DIVISION. 
Lt.-Colonel’s 
orders. 
B.C.’s 
orders. 
Remarks. 
station, of the ground in view and probable position of the enemy's guns, 
would direct his observer on to the required spot and order him to 
clamp his instrument as soon as he had laid it on one of the enemy's 
guns, he would then set off the bearing of the instrument by means of 
his protractor and straight-edge on his plan and estimate the range 
by aid of his map, this would enable him to direct the other observing 
instrument on to the same spot approximately and he would send 
down some such order as this to the observer: “ Set your instrument 
at bearing-; look out for any gun firing from that direction and 
send in reading of any observed at once." As soon as the other 
observer had succeeded in doing this, the approximate position of the 
gun observed could be formed on the plan by setting the straight-edge 
from each observer at their bearings and this spot would be marked 
on the plan. The protractor and straight-edge would then be placed 
in turn at the positions on the plan, representing the two observers of 
the battery whose fire it was intended to direct on to this target and 
the bearings from each observer could thus be approximately obtained 
and the range from the battery measured. 
The Lieut.-Colonel would then send down an order of this nature to 
each B.C. : “ Engage enemy’s battery of three (or four) guns— 
(Apparently) bearing from your R.O. —- 
,, ,, ,, ,, L.O. ■ 
Approximate range-yards. 
Report when target has been picked up, sending readings of each 
instrument." 
On getting such an order, the B.C. would at once telephone to each 
observer in this manner : “ R.O. or L.O. search for enemy's guns at 
bearing-; clamp instrument as soon as one flash comes in field 
and send me all readings of other flashes observed." As soon as each 
observer had carried out these instructions the B.C. would, from an 
examination of the readings received, put each observer on the same 
gun in the usual manner and report to the Lieut.-Colonel in this wise. 
“Both observers have picked up target, R.O. is clamped at-, 
L.O. at-If the readings thus received appear to correspond 
satisfactorily with the bearings of the target from the C.R.A. observers, 
the Lieut.-Colonel would send in reply, “commence firing; " but if he 
is in doubt as to whether the observers have picked up the target 
which he wishes the battery to engage he would send in reply, “ stand 
fast," followed by further instructions. 
In this manner the fire of any battery could be directed on to any 
target and the position of it or any change of target easily indicated 
to each B.C. as desired. The bearings sent down originally by the 
Lieut.-Colonel would probably only be approximate ones and absolute 
accuracy is not to be expected nor necessary, but if the plan has been 
carefully made out and the positions of the observing stations correctly 
marked, these bearings should be so nearly correct as to admit of the 
battery observers picking up quickly the required target from the in¬ 
structions received from the B.C. 
