LANCE BOATS OF THE GERMAN CAVALRY.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1988, 14 May 1906, Page 7

LANCE BOATS OF THE GERMAN CAVALRY.

It lias always been a matter of n<» small dilliculty to provide bodies of cavalry with suitable vessels for crossing streams. ‘Only in cases of absolute necessity are the horses driven bodily into the water, for in (he icy weal.her of winter and the torrid heat of summer the fording of a river is always accompanied by some danger. The old-fashioned, cumbrous folding boats and their waggons have been discarded by the tier mail army for the more trustworthy and more easily carried vessel. This ts the lance boat, so-called because its frame is built up by means of the lances canied by the (lerman trooper'. With twelve or sixteen lances si v men can build a boat in five minutes, and in two minutes they can take it apart. In two minutes the frame is spanned with a waterproof piece of canvas, and the boat is ready for service. Lances suitably, covered with canvas are used as oars The oar-blade consists of a strip of canvas two feet long and six inches broad, upon which slats are sewn. The connecting members and locking devices used in building up the boat frame weigh 41 lb. ; the canvas 2(>lbs. :in all 72Ibs. 1?y reason of this small weight a single horse can carry the parts of two boats. 11 is Majesty recently conferred the Decoration of the Victoria Cross upon Lieutenant .John J). Grant, Bth Gurkha Hides, for conspicuous gallantly in Tibet. On the occasion of the storming of the Gyanlsc .Jong, on July G, HJitl, the storming company, headed hy Lieutenant Grant, on emerging from the cover of the village, had to advance up a bare, almost precipitous, rock-face, with little or no cover available, and under a heavy tire from the curtain, flanking towers on both sides of iho curtain, and other buildings higher up the Jong. Showers of locks and stones were at (he time being hurled down the hillside from the enemy from above. One man only could go up at a time, crawling on hands and knees to the breach in the curtain. Lieutenant Grant, followed hy Ha-, vildar Karbir Pun. Btb Gurkha | Hides, at once attempted to scale j it ; but on reaching near the top he j was wounded, and hurled back, as j was also the llavildar, who fell down , (he rock some thirty feet. Regardless of their injuries, they again attempted to scale the breach, and, covered by the lire of the men lie-j low, were successful in (heir object, j the llavildar shooting one of the ; enemy on gaining the top. Ihe successful issue of the assault was very ; greatly due to the splendid example shown by Lieutenant Grant and , llavildar Karbir Pun. The latter ' had been recommended for the Jn- j dian Order of Merit.