§ COLONEL WALKER (Lancashire, Widnes)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War how many field officers of the Royal Artillery were detailed for service with the ammunition trains and parks serving in South Africa during the late war; and what was the number of field officers specially appropriated to an ammunition train.
§ MR. HALDANEDuring the first year of the war, the maximum number of ammunition columns in South Africa was eighteen. There was also an ammunition park. The latter was commanded by a lieutenant-colonel; the former by majors, although in some cases captains only were available for the duty. After the early phase of the war, and in consequence of the exceptional conditions that arose in South Africa, regular ammunition columns wore abolished, and the number of field or other officers employed cannot now be ascertained.