262 MOUNTAIN ARTILLERIES OF FRANCE AND ITALY. 
the shrapnel is carried in “ first boxes.” There are 8 cartridges each 
of 170 grammes of smokeless powder and 10 grammes as primer of 
black powder, and 10 friction tubes. Highty-four rounds per sub-divi- 
sion are carried by six mules. 
There are 3 sets of wooden racks (1 per section) containing entrench- 
ing tools. ‘he racks are as heavy and cumbersome as those just 
rejected by us in our Batteries in India in favour of the leather rack. 
Fizup Day. 
On the 6th I accompanied the Battery in a reconnaissance made by 
the Group on the Col de Frejus to Croin near the Italian Frontier. 
The troops marched off uf 5 a.m. The order of march of a Group is 
somewhat as under :— 
Point—+# section. 
From 150 to 160 yards in rear 
2 section. 
Aaland ‘Erend Wate nmaent of Sappers. 
Guar °ac- (2 Engineer mules with tools, dynamite, &c. 
1 Company. 
, From 150 yards to 800 yards in rear 
Mai 3 sections (throws out also a few flanking files). 
B AV. 1 mule with cacolet. 
°°Y* (8 mules with tools. 
From 500 yards to 3000 yards in rear 
(1 Company. 
! 2 mules with entrenching tools. 
Main It Company. 
Body. 1 6 Batterie de Combat” (i.e. fighting line of Mountain 
| Battery). 
L3 Companies less ¢ section for rear-guard. 
Baggage preceded by remaining Battery mules, 100 yards 
in rear. 
Rear Guard—ti section. 
This order of march was not strictly observed on day in question. 
The ascent from Modane (3575 ft.) to Croin (8350 ft.) was a steady 
grind the whole way but not a difficult path for a Battery. The men 
all wore knapsacks and carried sling carbines and a portion of tente 
@abris. In one hand they carried a short alpen-stock. An August 
sun in South Hastern France is sufficiently trying, but neither men, nor 
mules for whom there is no relief appeared unduly fatigued on return 
to Camp at 4 p.m. after only a lengthened halt of two hours from 11 to 
1 when breakfasts were eaten, and mules unsaddled and fed. 
In all reconnaissances only that portion of the Battery styled the 
“ Batterie de Combat” corresponding to our “ gun or fighting line ” 
takes a part. It consists of 31 mules made up as follows: 
To each sub-division 4 mules in the following order in “ Column of 
route.” 
