§ Mr. HUNTasked the Secretary of State for War (1) if he can give the average number of rounds per gun fired each year in their respective countries by the Regular Artillery of the British, French, and German armies; and (2) whether all the batteries of Artillery of the Territorial Army fire twenty-five rounds per gun every year; and can he say what is the difference in the average number of rounds per gun per year fired by our Territorial Artillery and the average number of rounds per gun per year fired by the Regular French and German Artillery?
§ Colonel SEELYThe number of practice or service rounds per battery (six guns) fired annually by the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery (Regulars) quartered at home and by Territorial batteries is as follows:—
- (1) Batteries of R.H.A. divisional 600; unallotted, 580.
- (2) Batteries of R.F.A. divisional 600; unallotted, 400.
- (3) Batteries of R.F.A., 4.5 in. Howitzers, 400.
- (4) Territorial Force R.H.A. and R.F.A., 15 pounder batteries, 200.
- (5) Territorial Force, 5 in. Howitzers, 122. In the case of the Territorial Force the annual allowance in each case is pooled each year and allotted to the batteries practising that year at a rate which varies according to the class of camp at which they practice. In the French Army 150 rounds per gun are fired annually, but in addition many batteries at practice camps fire many more rounds. As regards the German Army no information is available.