(449) 
THE TRAINING- & EMPLOYMENT 
OF 
A HOWITZER FIELD BATTERY. 
BY 
MAJOR A. H. GORDON, R.F.A. 
[The howitzer is technically not a gun, but in every day barrack square life it is called one, and 
moreover in all words of command the use of the latter word is authorised. Any attempt to en¬ 
force the use of the word “howitzer” in place of “gun” is, from the very nature of the words 
themselves, doomed to failure and may as well be abandoned at once. In the following paper the 
word “ gun ” is, therefore, frequently employed. A.H.G.]. 
E OR the first time a complete brigade division of howitzer bat¬ 
teries, has this year, been to Okehampton for practice. The 
general results were very satisfactory and in some respects, such as 
rapidity of fire and the use of observing parties, even more was achiev¬ 
ed than had been expected. For example, the average* “battery 
fire” interval of one battery was 11.06 seconds, 10 seconds being or¬ 
dered. Again, when firing from behind cover and using an observing 
party to range with, about 2,000 yards to a flank, out of 44 shells fired, 
25 fell in the target,! the range being 3550 yards. 
As the method of training howitzer batteries differs in some respects 
from that of other batteries, the following notes on the system adopted 
in one of them may be of interest. 
2.—It is known that the authorities consider that howitzer batteries 
will only be employed under special conditions, that the targets at 
practice are earthworks, batteries in action and troops behind cover 
and that no moving targets are used. All this is therefore constantly 
kept in view throughout the training; should any change take place 
and the contemplated role of howitzer batteries on the battle-field be 
enlarged, a corresponding change in the system of training would be¬ 
come necessary. But in the meantime, the training is arranged to 
meet the known conditions and to develope the following points in 
particular, the more important muscles as it were, of the howitzer 
body, viz.: Clinometer laying, the use of aiming posts and deflection, 
observation by the Battery Commander, the use of observing parties, 
rapidity of drill, the employment of full detachments from the first, 
and double manning in running up. 
3.—Taking these points in succession :—- 
Clinometer laying .—As 10 degrees is the limit of tangent sight ele¬ 
vation, and as a Battery Commander would not risk having to change 
from tangent sight to quadrant elevation during ranging, it follows 
that clinometers must be used at all ranges above (say) 8 degrees.J 
Howitzers would as a rule be employed in! the earlier stages of the 
* In striking this average one series has been excluded in which 20 experimental fuzes were 
fired during battery fire, thereby causing interruption and therefore delay, 
f A rectangle 150 yards by 50 yards, the longer side being at right angles to the line of fire. 
t Even with full charge this is only 1,600 yards. 
10. VOL. XXVI. 
