BRITISH GUN POWER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16979, 16 April 1917, Page 8

BRITISH GUN POWER

STRENGTH ON WEST FRONT. WORLD'S GREATEST WEAPON. Among the causes that forced the Germans to retreat from tho established lines in France was the British gun power. Writing from British Headquarters early in February, a correspondent said that perhaps the most significant, feature of the winter campaign was the increasing strength of tho British artillery. Tho gunners had come into their own. Although the infantry might bo trench-bound by stress of weather the batteries behind them continued their work of. destruction night and day, distributing carefully-timed munitions with liberality and accuracy wherever they wero likely to do the greatest good. The German guns did not attempt to compete with this steady outpouring of shell, and tho contrast between their economy and British generosity was not lost oil the men who suffered from the latter. Thoy complained that their batteries "let them down." "Recently," the correspondent continued, " there lias been renewed activity at certain points where the British ' heavies' are particularly aggressive, but few of these demonstrations can be compared to our efforts in strength or accuracy. They are welcome, for they disturb tho enemy's scheme of shell hoarding, and they force him to overwork battery groups that have been weakened during the winter season. Each counterblast invites a more powerful reply, and the result of every duel is the same; tho British guns have tho last word. RESERVES MOUNTING UP. "The general policy of the German artillery experts scorns to be to mako the most of a limited allotment of munitions. There was a time when British gunners wero doled out shells in \tho samo parsimonious manner —scant daily rations for their hungry guns spread carefully over a fixed period like corn in a time of famine —and it is comforting to reflect that all tho economy is now on tho other sido. Thero is no need, for weighing tho cost of every 'shoot.' If you could see the vast, almost incredible, stores of shell safely housed behind every artillery sector, you would realise what the munition workers of Britain arc doing to help to win the war. Fresh go eastward from tho coast every day; with all tho generous expenditure of ammunition required by tho present scheme of incessantly pounding the invaders, tho reserves multiply steadily, and thero will never bo a short-age again. The German desire for economy is not duo to a scarcity of ammunition. Their output, both in Germany and Belgium, has been greatly increased, but the Somme offensive of the Allies taught them the vital importance of having great stocks in hand, and with characteristic foresight they are endeavouring to cut down tho winter expenditure as much as possible. ENCOURAGING SIGN.

"This desire is ehown in a greater discrimination in the selection of 'targets.' Last winter tho German batteries ate up shells with the prodigality of a drunken sailor. They flung' tons of explosives into empty fields, and sent their assorted missiles wandering- aimlessly in a way that could not possibly damage their enemies. It was an orgy of hato without a purpose. Now they calculate tho possible effect each day's shell supply. 'Hie {runners are forced to use tho ' iron ration' carefully. It is an encouraging sign of the times. Tho permanent batteries aro not ' allowed to firo without a definite objcct, and eoinc of them do not /ire at all for clays. Such temptingtargets as Yprcs and Arras continue to receive their expected portion of German shells, for your German gunner is a slave to routine, and tho bombardment of a city —or tho corpse of a city—is not a habit of which lie can be easily broken. But even these obvious areas of registration aro not lashed with tho old fury of a year ago; Ypres gets more than Arras, but Ypres is past mending, and tho distinction is without significance.

ENEMY ARTILLERY STILL STRONG. "As long as their batteries can bo searched with the samo uncanny accuracy and five shells given for one, the Germans will c.ontinuo to realise- that tho soales have turned against them. Yet the German gunners are cxcellcnt—mako no mistake about it. A British artillery officer told me the other day thai, man for maai, he thought thoy wero as efficient as in tho early days of the war; that, although the infantry show signs of deterioration—which increase steadily as the winter draws to a close, —the artillery remains capable and effective. Nevertheless, it is no longer the dominant factor on tho western front

" Slowly and steadily tho gun-power of Britain and her ally has been increased, until to-day, with new batteries and still moro batteries ever crawling along tho roads from the sea to tho front, it is tho most powerful weapon of its kind in tho world. Tho other day a German battalion headquarters wus chased from ono set of dug-outs to another, and then to a third, mercilessly pursued by British shells. Our gunners -will tell you that they hope to chaso the entire German Army in tho samo way when at last t'hoy have their chance!"