§ MR. GUINNESS (Bury St. Edmunds)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War how many guns it is proposed to supply for the use of the Territorial Army during the coming financial year.
§ MR. HALDANEIt is proposed to supply to the Territorial Forces by the end of the coming financial year 536 15-pounder field guns. These guns will all be mounted upon quick-firing carriages, and are the total number required for the field batteries of the Territorial Force. Fifty-six 4.7 guns are also ready for issue, to arm the fourteen heavy batteries. The issue of howitzers cannot be completed until the rearmament of the regular batteries takes place, but sufficient will be issued to enable training to proceed.
§ MR. BELLOC (Salford, S.)Are the 15-pounders of the new quick-firing type?
§ MR. HALDANEsaid that they were converted 15-pounder guns.
§ MR. ARTHUR LEE (Hampshire, Fareham)asked as to the modern quick-firing guns, were any of them to be supplied to the Territorial Force.
§ MR. HALDANENo, the 18-pounder guns are being reserved for the Regular Forces, and are heavier than the field guns supplied to the Territorial Force.
§ MR. GUINNESSI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what progress has been made with the conversion of 15-pounder field guns for the use of the Territorial Army; what is the cost per battery of such conversion; whether the limbers and wagons are being simultaneously converted so as to enable 509 them to carry fixed ammunition; and tow many wagons per battery it is proposed to allot.
§ MR. HALDANEThe conversion of the 15-pounder field guns is proceeding rapidly. The first batch of 150 guns are at present undergoing conversion and some will be ready for issue immediately. The rest will follow. The cost will be about £1,200 per battery. The ammunition for the guns will not be fixed ammunition, i.e. ammunition in which the shell and cartridge are in one piece, and therefore the necessity for converting the limbers and wagons simultaneously will not arise. The number of wagons to be allotted per battery is still under consideration.
§ MR. GUINNESSinquired what was the range of the converted guns as compared with the new quick-firing guns for the Regular Forces.
§ MR. HALDANEsaid he had stated once or twice, and he stated again, that the mere distance the shells travelled was about the same, but the lighter projectile had a less effective range than the heavier one, the resistance of the air operating more rapidly, and consequently there was a difference of 1,000 yards in the effective range, the shrapnel bullets giving a higher degree of momentum.
§ MR. ARTHUR LEEasked if the Army Council had advised the arming of the Territorial Force with a less efficient weapon as compared with that issued to the Regular Army.
§ MR. HALDANEsaid the General Staff were of opinion that it was a useful efficient weapon for the work the Territorial Army would have to do.