ARTILLERY IN THE BOER WA

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7924, 1 February 1904, Page 3

ARTILLERY IN THE BOER WA

Lieutenant von Wichananii, of the Ger- 1 ' man Army Reserve, who served with the ; Boers in the war, concludes in the "Mili- , tar-Wochenblatt " his articles upon the use . of artillery. He points out that the guns were handled in a very different manner lon the opposing sides. While we employed them more or less massed, the Boer guns j "were generally placed singly in. protected : positions ma- defensive line. The German officer thinks, in view of the superior number of our guns, that we adopted the right policy, while the Boers did the only thing that was possible. In order to illustrate ! the disparity in the number of guns, he gives the following figures, intended to mii dicate the numerical relation of the Boer guns to our own :'— Talana Hilli 5 to 20 ; Elandslaagte, 2to 18 ; Mqdder River, 16 ta 40; Colenso, 6 to 50; Spionkop, 6 to 60; Vaal Krantz, 7 to 60; Pieter's Hill, 10 to 70. The Boers, as Lieutenant von Wichmann remarks, were masters in Ijihe art of hiding, their gun positions. We bombarded the Qoienso lines for two days, but only on© gun was fired by the enemy, andi "wa " were astonished to find that the Boers were not all dead." They were also great masters in distant firing, and some of their success is attributed to the fact that they had the latest prismatic .glasses, ■while our glasses are described as inferior. The Boers took great care of their artillery, a good gunner not being easily replaced. In 'relation to # Spionkop, the writer says that from the morning of Jan?, ary 20 to- the evening of January 23 .> rj maintained a terrible bombardment from warty light and heavy guns, the Boers for hours making no reply. Their great advantage on this oocasion was that their guns were completely hidden, and cony •,uanded the position fron» three sides. They had no guns on the top, and the writer ascribes error in this matter to General von Bpguslaiwskj and Colonel von Lindenau. He insists that great illusions exist as to the results of artillery fire. We often bombarded the Boer lines with little effect, and attacked with confidence, as at Colenso, in relation to which action the German officer says that guns must never be employed without infantry escort. The Boers had little respect for shell fire, and even lyddite shells made little impression. The men went on preparing their coffee regardless of the discharge, but, when shrapnel was opened, they fled at once to shelter. In conclusion, the German officer again says there must be no illusion as to the effect of artillery. The decisive effect will be gained by infantry and' artillery together, and 4 cavalry will be an essential related arm of the forces. The great results of war will) not be obtained by guns or weapons- The moral qualities of the leader and of mdir viduads will always bring about tho effect. The author was two years and eight months in the field, and says he had often the^opportunity of recognising the truth of this lesson of the war.