71 
NOTES ON GERMAN MANCUVRES. 
BY 
MAJOR J. KF. MANIFOLD, R.A. 
THE manoeuvres of the German Guard Corps were held this year over 
that triangular piece of country to the east of Berlin, of which Berlin, 
Frankfurt on the Oder and Ciistrin are the corners, the main 
centres of operations being Muncheberg, a small station on the line 
running from Berlin to Custrin, and Frankfurt. The country is of con- 
siderable historic interest, as it was the scene of the most important 
events of Frederick the Great’s campaign of 1758 and 1759, while the 
battle of Kunersdorf was fought within a few miles of the city of 
Frankfurt. The battle-field was an important point in this year’s 
manceuvres, its artillery positions, which have been so graphically de- 
scribed in the Royal Artillery Institution ‘“‘ Proceedings ” by Major May, 
are typical of ground which could be held by artillery in the face of the 
strongest attacks of infantry. Long rolling slopes of arable land, well 
cleared of timber, which could be swept equally well by sharpnel of 
the present day, or by volleys of canister at the shorter ranges of 
Frederick’s time. 
The grand parade, which is always attended by the Emperor, was 
held this year on the opening instead of the final day of the manceuyres. 
The display was a fine one and was particularly interesting to gunners, 
as the German artillery then made their first attempt at Gallopping- 
Past. The Emperor had been so much impressed by the gallop past 
of the Horse Artillery on the occasion of his recent visit to Alder- 
shot, that he ordered that this parade movement should be copied 
by both the German Horse and Field Artillery. A certain amount 
of quiet protest was made by the officers at their being suddenly 
called on to perform, before very critical spectators, a movement which 
they had not previously practised, for even the crowd which attends 
German manceuvres is thoroughly professional ; the display, considering 
the lack of practice, was very fair, though the somewhat ragged line in 
which a few of the batteries went past might have been the cause of 
unpleasantness had the same been seen at Aldershot. The difference 
in the pace of movement of the German horse and field artillery is 
not so marked as with us, it has always been the custom for the latter 
to move at a gallop when necessary and they have thus become 
accustomed, through length of years, to the more rapid pace ot 
10 
25 VO. XXII. 
