( 497 ) 
THE EMPLOYMENT OE THE 
5" B.E. HOWITZER. 
BY 
MAJOR E. G. NICOLLS, R.A. 
T HE 5-inch B.L. Howitzer appears to have been designed with the 
intention of providing a piece of ordnance for use in the field for 
certain specific purposes, viz., (a) for the destruction of materiel, field 
fortifications, etc. ; ( b ) for the attack of troops in deep shelter trenches, 
or under cover, which cannot be searched by the ordinary field guns. 
These objects are effected by using large capacity Common shell filled 
with high explosive, and small, and varying charges which give a low 
initial velocity, a curved trajectory, and an opportunity of altering both 
to suit requirements, which are the peculiar properties of howitzers. 
This howitzer was issued to the Field Artillery in 1895-6. There 
is now a Brigade Division of Field Howitzers quartered at Woolwich, 
and under orders for South Africa. The details of the organization 
and equipment of this Brigade Division and its Ammunition Column 
will be found at pp. 130 to 135 ‘‘ War Establishments, 1898.” 
The 5-inch B.L. Howitzer is now, 1899-1900, being issued to the 
Siege Train Companies, which have lately been re-organized as to their 
personnel . The details of this new organization will be found in “Regi¬ 
mental Establishments, 1899-1900,” and in “ R.A. R.O., 49,” of 1st 
April, 1899. 
In these orders nothing is said as regards the equipment of the 
Siege Companies, and it will therefore be as well to mention that by 
W.O. Letter, 54/Arty./7656, dated 21st January, 1899, an equipment 
of 5-inch and 6-inch B.L. Howitzers is provided for each company. 
The detail of the equipment as regards the 5-inch howitzer is given in 
the following table, ft must be observed that each Siege Company is 
intended to provide the personnel for two complete batteries of 5-inch 
howitzers of 6 guns each. One battery is in permanent charge of the 
company, the other together with the necessary harness is kept in 
charge in peace-time of the Army Ordnance Corps as mobilization 
equipment; the horses and drivers required would be furnished from 
the reserve. 
//. VOL. XXVI. 34. 
