304 COMMENDED ESSAY, 1896. 
the first of which contains the ammunition wagons with limber accord- 
ing to the organization then in vogue, and ten S.A.A. carts, while the 
second was made up of the remainder. In Rothwell’s “Lectures in 
Staff Duties ” the Ammunition Column is also spoken of as sub-divided 
into two sections. The writer has had personal experience in tactical 
exercises when the general officer commanding of a corps has desired 
to divide the Ammunition Column owing to the paucity of roads leading 
to and from his position and it is conceivable that occasions may arise 
when it would be desirable to separate that portion likely to be most 
immediately in demand from the remainder. Itis suggested therefore 
that a Column be sub-divided, or rather be ready to be sub-divided, 
into two portions, but the separation not to take place till necessary, 
and further into sections, each of which should provide for the 
particular need of one part of the division. Thus there might be one 
for the S.A. ammunition and one for each nature of gun. 
And further, the sections might again be sub-divided, after the 
fashion in which a battery is split up, into sub-divisions each under a 
sergeant. Thus, taking the case of a Divisional Ammunition Column 
as an example :— 
No. 1) Sub-divisions might each consist of (in the 
No. 1 Seton} 2 fens of the 15-pr.) three ammunition wagons 
6 S and one A. and S. wagon with 24 horses. 
‘@ A f Four 8.A.A. carts and three A. and S. wagons 
vi : the CU with 26 horses. 
No.2 SeshOn.s) » 0) Three §.A.A. carts and four A. and 8. wagons 
lea EO with 380 horses. 
The remaining six carriages with their 380 horses might forma ‘th 
sub-division under an additional sergeant and might belong to No. i 
section and form in rear of it on parade. 
The precise form which the partition should take is a point which 
might after experiments be settled practically, and which has possibly 
already been settled, but it would appear desirable to tell off the spare 
gun carriage, the nine ammunition wagons (if that is to be the future 
number), and ten 8.A.A. carts, together to form what might be termed 
an “emergency division” or fighting portion of the Column which 
could move more rapidly than the rest and could accompany the 
troops in the event of a forced march becoming necessary. ‘The 
Ammunition Column may indeed be compared toa battery at war 
strength, and supervision and discipline will be facilitated if an interior 
organization and economy be established in it as much on the lines to 
which the personnel, being artillerymen, are accustomed as possible. 
Of course the wagons of this “emergency ” division would always be 
kept full and ready to move. 
They should in fact stand in the same relation to the fighting line, 
as the hmbers of the brigade division do to the guns. 
The Ammunition Columns we have just described should be brought 
within about a mile of the fighting line. Behind them, usually a day’s 
march in rear would be the Ammunition Park, or in the case of home 
defence the field depot. This Ammunition Park is divided into five 
sections, one for each infantry division, and a fourth for the corps 
