GERMAN HEAVY GUNS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1294, 8 September 1914, Page 4

GERMAN HEAVY GUNS.

SIXTEEN PER ARMY CORPS.

Much of the stirring news from h ranee and Belgium has been concerned with the German heavy guns, which were either destroyed or put out of action by the opposing artillery. The following description of fhe beayy batteries \n the German army is taken from a lecture delivered at Plymouth in 1911, by Eifiut. Col. J. G. E. Wynne (Rpyal Artillery) - ,; In the German array in each army corps there is usually one heavy brigade, consisting of four batteries of four 5.9-in, howitzers. Each battery has 120 horses. All

batteries are equipped with directors, stereoscopic telescopes, and observation waggons, with observation ladder and shield, and four sets telephones per brigade. The brigade may be considered as a species of corps artillery and is attached on service to the division which is expected most to require it for tactical purposes, “In the attack the heavy artillery is allotted to the division which is to carry out the decisive attack. In the defence, to the division against which the decisive attack is directed. The heavy artillery may be brought into action alone at long range, to enable field batteries to advance to close rauge. It is recommended that they be posted in the centre, in order that their fire may be available in all directions. ‘‘The German Field Artillery Regulations state that heavy howitzers would be used against targets which are most dangerous to the enemy, or which the field artillery does not suffice to overpower. This is interpreted by some writers to mean field works or localities; another paragraph states, however, that in the attack heavy artillery should primarily co-operate rather in silencing the enemy's fire than in the destruction of cover and obstacles, and finally in the preparation of the assault. ‘‘These heavy guns should be near at hand, so that they may be employed whenever needed on the battlefield. In case the enemy is not strongly fortified they may be turned on his artillery, “It is to be noted that these heavy howitzer batteries are styled ‘heavy batteries,’ and that the normal establishment does not include heavy guns as distinguished from howitzers in the field army.”