DEFINITIONS.

Alignment.—The straight line on which a body of troops is formed, or is to form.

Base.—An alignment generally indicated by markers on which it is desired to form troops.

Base body.—That on which a formation is made, or on which the alignment is made at the halt, e.g., “base battery,” “base section.”

Battery.—A battery of horse, field or mountain artillery consists of two or three sections, each of two guns with their complement of ammunition wagons. In the case of heavy and territorial artillery as well as of most of the artillery of the Overseas Dominions a battery consists of two sections only.

Battery column.—A battery with the sections in open column.

Battery quarter column.—A battery with the sections in quarter column.

Brigade of artillery.—Two batteries of horse artillery or three batteries of field artillery, in each case with an ammunition column.

Change of front.—A new alignment facing to a new front.

Change of position.—A movement by which a body of troops moves altogether off its ground, either to the front, flank, or rear, and re-forms on a new alignment.

Close order.—The ordinary distance between front and rear rank when formed in line.

Column.—Bodies of troops formed one in rear of another. When they are at a distance from one another equal to their own frontage plus interval, if any, the formation is known as “open column.”

Column of batteries.—Batteries in open column.

Column of masses.—Two or more artillery brigades in open column, each formed in mass.

Column of sections.—A formation used in brigade drill, when all the sections are in open column.

Column of subsections.—A column of single guns, each with a wagon right or left of it, at full interval unless otherwise ordered.

Column of route.—A column of single carriages.

Covering.—The act of a body placing itself correctly in rear of another.

Deploying interval.—The interval between columns necessary to enable them to form line to the front.

Deployment.—The formation of line from column.

Depth.—The space occupied by a body of troops from front to rear.

Directing body.—The body on which the direction, pace and alignment of a line, or the direction, pace and relative positions of the several parts of a column or échelon depend.

Distance.—The space between men or bodies of troops from front to rear.

Divisional line of masses.—A line of two or more artillery brigades each formed in mass at deploying interval.

Divisional mass.—A divisional line of masses at 25 yards interval.

Double échelon.—A form of échelon in which the centre body is in advance with other bodies on its right and left rear.

Dressing.—The act of taking up an alignment correctly or of maintaining that alignment on the move.

Échelon.—Échelon when used with reference to drill signifies a formation of successive and parallel units facing the same way, each on a flank and to the rear of the unit in front of it. “Échelon” is when the units are at wheeling distance, and “short échelon” when they are at 20 yards distance.

File.—A front rank man with his coverer.

Firing battery.—Six guns and 6 ammunition wagons, except in the case of 4-gun batteries, when it consists of 4 guns and 4 wagons.

In mountain artillery the firing battery consists of the mules carrying the various portions of the gun and carriage, and 2 ammunition mules per subsection, 1 pioneer mule per section, 1 mule for telephone equipment, and relief mules for the gun and carriage complete of one subsection.

First line wagons.—Those battery ammunition wagons not included in the firing battery.

In mountain artillery the first line mules are those battery ammunition and relief mules not included in the firing battery.

Fixed pivot.—The term applied to the pivot when, during a wheel, the pivot man is halted and turns upon his own ground.

Flank.—Either side of a body of troops; also the direction to either hand of a body at right angles to its front.

Fours.—Four front rank men with their coverers.

Front.—The direction towards which a body of troops, or a single man, is facing; in a general sense, the direction of the enemy.

Frontage.—The extent of ground covered laterally by troops.

Ground scouts.—Men employed to ascertain whether the ground in the immediate vicinity is passable for artillery.

Half-section.—Two front rank men with their coverers.

Horse-length—A term of measurement (8 feet).

Horse-width.—A term of measurement (3 feet), which includes 3 inches outside the rider’s knee on either side.

Inclining of carriages.—A movement in which each carriage of a subsection makes a half-wheel independently on its own ground.

Inner flank.—The flank which serves as a pivot when a body is changing its direction.

Interval.—The space between men or bodies of troops from flank to flank.

Line.—Bodies of troops formed on the same alignment.

Line of battery columns.—Battery columns in line at deploying interval.

Line of columns.—A line of two or more columns formed on the same alignment.

Look-out men.—Men specially detailed to assist the battery commander in watching the movements of the enemy and friendly troops, and in discovering new objectives.

Mass.—A line of battery columns at 25 yards interval.

Markers.—Men employed in certain cases to mark points on which to march.

Moving pivot.—The term applied to the pivot when, during a change of direction, the pivot man moves on the arc of a circle without halting.

Oblique march and inclining.—Movements by which ground is gained to the front and flank simultaneously, while a front parallel to the original alignment is maintained.

Outer flank.—The flank opposite to the inner flank.

Pace.—The denomination of different degrees of speed; also a measurement of distance (30 inches) on foot.

Parade line.—The line on which troops form for drill or for ceremonial purposes.

Parade movements.—The movements laid down for the inspection of a body of troops.

Patrols.—A party of men detached for any purpose, such as to reconnoitre, to prevent surprises, to report fire effect, to pick out and report favourable targets, or to keep a commander informed of movements of either side.

Pivot.—The flank on which a body wheels. The man on that flank is the “pivot man,” or simply the pivot.

Quarter column.—Batteries in column at 12 yards, sections in column at 6 yards, distance from one another. When at full interval, each gun has a wagon on its left at close interval.

Rank.—Two or more men in line side by side.

Scouts.—Selected men detached to obtain information of the enemy, country, supplies, &c.

Section.—A section consists of two subsections.

Serrefiles.—Officers, non-commissioned officers, and others whose posts are in rear of a battery when in line.

Shouldering.—Wheeling on a moving pivot.

Single file.—One front rank man or his coverer.

Subsection.—One gun, with its complement of men, horses, and ammunition wagons.

Taking ground to a flank.—A movement in which each carriage of a subsection wheels independently on its own ground.

Wheeling.—A movement by which a body changes direction on a fixed or moving pivot.

Special for Mountain Artillery.⁠[1]

Subsection.—One gun with its complement of men and mules, divided into two parts called firing battery mules and first line mules.

Battery column.—A column of sections, in which the firing battery mules of each section follow each other in succession and are followed by the first line mules in the same order.

Column of route.—A column of single mules in which each subsection moves complete.

Column of sections.—A column in which each section moves complete.

Column of subsections.—A column of single mules, in which the mules of the firing battery of each subsection follow each other in succession and are followed by the first line mules in the same order.

Mule-length.—A term of measurement (6 feet).

Width of a loaded ammunition mule = 4 feet.

Relief Mules.—For some of the more difficult loads a second mule is provided, which acts as a relief to the firing battery mule.