ARTILLERY OF OLD

Southland Times, Issue 17654, 11 February 1916, Page 6

ARTILLERY OF OLD

the big in howitzers of the old days would have been pathetically helpless against an assault of 1915 infantry, but' they were deadly enough then In all conscience, as also weie the 12-pounder held guns. The very first shot fired by the German battery at Waterloo killed 17 Frenchmen. One round shot from a French cannon killed Captain Fisher, of the 40th Regiment, and 25 of his men, ripping up an entire line in its fell course. Marshal Ncyjs famous concentrated batteries of 74 giins which, on other Helds had taken the heart out of many a promising enemy opened auspiciously at Waterloo by sending the Dutch and Belgian troops scampering panic-stricken through the lines of the British Grenadiers, who could only with difficulty be persuaded from turning round ami firing on the runaways. But many scores of men were shot by their own side that terrible day nor was it to bo wondered at, as the’variety of uniforms baffle description The Prussian guns, nearing too end’ of the battle, tore gaping lanes tlirough a British Regiment before the mistake was discovered; a Belgian regiment. dressed like the enemy, was riddled with British bullets. Even Wellingion himself was treated with a dose of buliets from a Hanoverian regiment, but there was no error her. . This regiment had been posted in a wood behind the battlefield, and some of the men showed their high' d Dpi ensure with the position a'lotted them by firing over the Iron Duke's head. Wellington's only comment was, "How can they expec*. to ivin a battle with troops like those?"