266 ARTILLERY FROM AN INFANTRY OFFICER'S POINT OF VIEW. 
hours.” This shows the enormous weight laid by the Germans on 
artillery fire. The hostile artillery positions were no better than those 
of the defence, and the defensive line of trenches was a very strong 
one, with a clear field of fire. 
It is the rule for artillery in position to reconnoitre to its flanks by 
means of officers. On one occasion which I can call to mind this was 
not done and this neglect was severely criticised, for had an officer 
with glasses galloped half a mile to the flank he would have discovered 
the hostile artillery massed at about 8000 yards, behind a hill and well 
within reach of indirect fire. 
From the question of ground we come to that of fire discipline and 
accuracy of fire. The rules as tothe massing of guns, which obtain here 
obtain in Germany also, but great stress is always laid on keeping 
the whole of the troops firing at you.under fire, for it is considered 
that the effect of the the enemy’s fire decreases 50°/, directly he 
hears bullets whistling about his own head. 
At ranges over 1500 yards the guns of a battery fire in turn, at 
ranges under 1500 yards they fire independently. 
No range-finders are used either for artillery or for infantry and 
German artillery officers say that their shells are their best range- 
finders. 
The only missiles used by artillery are shrapnel, high explosive shell 
and case. The shrapnel has a combination time and percussion fuze, 
and contains a smoke-making substance, the smoke from which hangs 
together and rolls away like an old-fashioned cannon ball, and is very 
distinctly visible indeed. The use of this smoke-making substance 
lessens the difficulty of range-finding immensely. 
The chief use of high explosive shells with field guns is to reach 
troops behind trenches and earthworks, which would give them cover 
from ordinary shrapnel fire, and the manner of procedure is to burst 
the shell immediately over or just behind the cover, the force of the 
high explosive overcoming the velocity of the shell and sending the 
contents of the shell in all directions. 
Firing at shelter trenches field guns have a very fair effect when 
fired with time fuze, and much better than howitzers, mortars or 
garrison guns fired with percussion fuze at the same objects. The 
latter fire too slowly and have to drop their shell right into the 
trench for it to be effective. High explosive time shells would at all 
events make it so disagreeable for infantry in a shelter trench that 
they would not stay still to be shot at without showing themselves, 
and if they show themselves the object would be attained and shrapnel 
fire could be commenced. Two things are necessary for good effect 
with high explosive shells: Firstly, the length of fuze requisite must 
have been carefully ascertained with shrapnel. Secondly, there must 
be plenty of ammunition. High explosive shells from guns and 
howitzers dropped into the ditch of a modern earthwork will demolish 
everything for yards in every direction. 
The Germans expect much better results against troops in the open 
with ordinary than with high explosive shell and will never use the 
