328 
Field artillery fire. 
nition Columns are to follow in rear of tlie whole of tlie combatant 
portion of troops on a given road. If this be so, in the case of an Army 
Corps marching on a single road, the batteries of the leading divisions 
will almost invariably be left without ammunition for a considerable 
period of time before replenishment could take place. 
The following extract from a lecture by Lieut !-Col. N. L. Walford, 
R.A., gives a carefully calculated table showing after what lapses 
of time reserves of ammunition may be expected to become available, 
assuming (the nomenclature has been altered to suit latest changes):— 
That the batteries of the advanced-guard being in action, the order 
for the other batteries to close up was issued at noon. 
That the orderly carrying the above order moved at the rate of 300 
yards per minute. 
That the Divisional Ammunition Columns march in rear of the com¬ 
batant portion of troops to wldcli they belong , i.e., in rear of their 
divisions, and the Corps Troops Ammunition Column followed by the 
four sections of the Ammunition Park in rear of the combatant portion 
of the Army Corps. 
That other troops on the road will allow guns, but not ammunition 
reserves, to pass them on the road to the front. 
We find that the times of the appearance of the various units on 
the field will be as follows :— 
1st Divisional Artillery . at 12.25 
Corps Artillery. „ 12.50 
1st Divisional Ammunition Column . „ 1.12 
2nd Divisional Artillery . ,, 1.18 
3rd Divisional Artillery . „ 2.3 
2nd Divisional Ammunition Column . „ 2.53 
3rd Divisional Ammunition Column . „ 4.11 
Corps Troop Ammunition Column and Ammunition Park „ 4.30 
It is evident from the above that all the Ammunition Columns will 
arrive within the two hours and forty minutes (during which the 
shrapnel carried by their batteries will last) with the exception of the 
Corps Troops Ammunition Column which will not come up until nearly 
four hours after the mass of the Corps Artillery, or five hours after the 
batteries of the advanced-guard will have opened fire.” 
From this it is evident that the Corps Troops Ammunition Column 
when an action is probable should march, at the latest, with the 2nd 
Divisional Ammunition Column.” 
Assuming the figures in the foregoing extract to be correct, 
if we follow the indications given in the drill-book, and place the 
Divisional Ammunition Column as well as the Corps Troops Ammuni¬ 
tion Column in rear of all combatant troops on the road, then none of 
the reserve ammunition would arrive, in the example given, until 4.30, 
or about the time when the last rounds of the last Artillery which 
appeared on the scene had been fired, and after the leading batteries 
and those of the Corps Artillery had been standing without ammuni¬ 
tion for about two hours. 
