What is 
carried by 
Ammunition 
Columns, 
Place in 
chain of 
command, 
298 GOLD MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1896. 
TABLE D. 
VEHICLES AND Horses Ammunition Park. 
Number of Vehicles Draught Horses 
Sractnrarns" Pace) acer ees hg oo oll I 2 
Nature of vehicle 
Wagons A. and S., R.A., 6 horse ., 22 
” 3.99. 99 ” horse ... 3 
Forge with limber, R.A... 0. wee vee 1 
ES}OBRD 00 000 0, 0-000 009000O0 000 
Totals preset mere erreur Be Been Bea ess 26 
The Ammunition Columns actually carry the ammunition mentioned 
above, and also a certain number of spare wheels and shafts and other 
materials for repair. Though these latter would to a certain extent 
be necessary for the preservation of the column in the field, it will 
certainly be called upon to supply these stores to the batteries in front 
of it, which will most assuredly suffer more severely than it does itself. 
The spare gun carriages, wheels and shafts are, however, articles which 
the Ammunition Columns can supply without loss of efficiency in itself. 
This is a point to be borne in mind though it is not of paramount 
importance. 
The next point we must touch upon is the question of how these 
Ammunition Columns and Parks fit into the chain of command of the 
fighting units. The Divisional Ammunition Column is directly under 
the orders of the Lieut.-Colonel commanding the artillery brigade- 
division in the division. He will usually receive instructions limiting 
the position of his Ammunition Column from the General commanding 
the division. It is, however, obvious that when the Lieut.-Colonel is 
fighting his batteries, orders will often have to be sent direct to the 
officer commanding the Ammunition Column from the divisional head- 
quarters. The Lieut.-Colonel should receive information as regards 
these orders from his subordinate whenever possible. In the Corps 
Troops Ammunition Column the Colonel commanding the corps 
artillery will give all orders as regards the disposition of this Am- 
raunition Column, subject of course to limitations given in the orders 
he may receive from corps head-quarters. The officers commanding 
Cavalry Brigade Ammunition Column will receive all orders direct 
from the officer commanding the cavalry brigade. There can be no 
other intermediary, but corps head-quarter orders will often over-ride 
his decisions and will very often dictate to him exactly where the 
column must march, immediate attendance on the brigade being quite 
impossible. As regards Ammunition Parks, each being commanded 
by a Lieut.-Colonel, is an independent command and receives its orders 
