SHRAPNEL FIRE, 
193 
The existence of this increased difficulty of using percussion shell in 
comparison with time may be admitted, and yet it f may with justice 
be urged that after all it may more easily be overcome than those 
incidental to correctly boring time fuzes, and estimating with certainty 
the effect produced by their bursts—the former of which does not 
exist when percussion fuzes are used, and the latter only to a modified 
extent. Such is undoubtedly the case; still, when fire is deliberate 
(as it always should be, except under very exceptional circumstances), 
when N.C.O/s and men are properly instructed, and the supervision 
of officers is judiciously exercised, these difficulties, although they can 
never wholly disappear, are reduced to a minimum, and the superiority 
of time over percussion shells rarely fails to assert itself. 
The practice recorded at pp. 6 and 7 Okehampton Report may be 
cited in confirmation of this view. The effective shells are given for 
each 18 rounds fired. 
9-pr. 
16-pr. 
Range. 
Effective out of 18 rounds. 
yds. 
Time fuze. 
Percussion fuze. 
C 1500.... 
. 15 .. 
.... 12* 
(2100.... 
. 17 .. 
.... 14* 
f 1500.... 
. 18 .. 
.... 12* 
(2100.... 
. 14 .. 
.... 15* 
With respect to these, it must be remarked that any percussion shell 
which burst in front is called effective, whereas a certain number 
burst 150, 140, 120, and 100 yds. short could therefore hardly have 
been said to be so at such ranges. 
When time were pitted against percussion shells at practical targets, 
such as dummies in formation of attack, the superiority of the former 
is very marked. The following table is compiled from the Okehampton 
Report, pp. 6-8 :— 
Range. 
Dummies disabled. 
yds. 
Time fuze. 
Percussion fuze. 
(1500 . 
. 38 ... 
. 13 
) 2100 . 
. 33 ... 
. 21 
(2950 . 
. 72 ... 
. 22 
143 
56 
. 57 
21 
] 2100 . 
. 37 ... 
. 14 
(2950 . 
. 109 ... 
84 
203 
119 
The practice with the 9-pr. R.M.L., Series O. and P., Okehampton 
Report, p. 68, already referred to at p. 187 of this paper, is not here 
considered, because it gives only hits and not men disabled, and (as 
* Average of 3 series of 18 each. 
