360 
SILVER MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1894 . 
organisation adopted in future artillery fighting, and batteries should 
be organised and trained during peace on this understanding. 
The French The permanent localisation of the French and German Artillery in 
a: Artmciy an Regiments and Army Corps Brigades is an administrative, not a tactical 
E a£^cT ts or g ail i sa li on - The tactical cohesion of more than one Brigade Division 
mimstrative is not considered practicable. In both armies when the corps take the 
“o^isr. 1 2 field the regiments of artillery are broken up—the batteries being dis- 
uonss. tributed by Brigade Divisions among the Infantry Divisions and Corps 
Artillery. They may, or may not, be brought together again, according 
to circumstances. When they are so brought together the procedure 
is simple, and consists in the superior Artillery Commander sending 
orders to each Brigade Division Commander, leaving the detailed 
execution of the orders to him and the battery leaders under him. 1 
inex- The permanent organisation of Brigade Division units of three Field 
permanently Batteries each has been sometimes suggested for our own artillery. 3 
or I5tish g Such an organisation, however, seems neither applicable nor expedient. 
Artillery in The British Artillery service is one of detachment. Our small wars 
a than batl s require small units. In India and the Colonies single batteries are 
terxes. constantly required where whole Brigade Divisions would not be 
wanted. The present administrative independence of each battery 
enables it to be embarked abroad at the shortest possible notice. f< We 
have come back to the battery,” wrote General Markham in 1887, “by 
sheer force of circumstances.” 3 
Advantage Apart from the above considerations, there are obvious advantages 
a sup U eTmi*° i n freeing superior Artillery Commanders from administrative details. 
C fi™m being 3 Artillery manoeuvre tactics demand the highest qualities from the 
freedfrom Brigade Division leader. To command a Brigade Division of three 
executive batteries on a war footing with its attendant ammunition column is 
tfvework? admittedly more difficult than to command a brigade of three infantry 
battalions. The necessary qualities for successful leadership can only 
be developed by constant practice in the field and close study indoors. 
Intimate practical acquaintance with the tactics of the other Arms is 
also necessary to a Brigade Division Commander. It seems certain 
that if in addition to his tactical duties he were charged with the 
administrative details of the executive units under his command, the 
burden would be more than he could bear. The Aldershot system by 
which batteries are temporarily organised in tactical Brigade Divisions 
1 ££ The battery is always, the Brigade Division only so far as is feasible, directed by commands 
and signals. In larger units than these, instructions and transmitted orders are substituted for the 
above.” “ Drill Regulations of the German Field Artillery,” 1892. 
2 “ It has often been considered a question whether it would not be desirable to adopt a system 
more similar to other branches of the army by combining a certain force of artillery, equal to per¬ 
haps three or more batteries under a Lieut.-Colonel, with a duly constituted staff, and to be moved 
about from station to station, or on service as such ; but this for certain reasons would fail to work 
satisfactorily, as in fact was the case with the Brigade system some years ago. The reasons for this 
failure are clue partly to the want of accommodation, but more to the constant necessity of having 
single batteries detached at small stations, both at home and abroad, where, for the purpose of 
regimental administration, they would be beyond control. Whatever the organisation may be, it 
must be admitted that the battery is the best for all practical and administrative purposes to. be 
retained as the unit.” Evidence given before Lord Harris’s Committee. Question 4124. Major- 
General E. Markham, D.-A.-G., R.A. 
3 ££ If possible, the first tactical division should correspond with the first administrative division, 
or, in other words, the smallest independent tactical command should also be the smallest adminis¬ 
trative division,” ££ Precis of Tactics,” by Colonel Home, C.B., R.E. 
