Civilian into Soldier

Part 3    Gun Crews

373649 Arthur H Paddison, 2nd Field Regiment, NZA

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Parade nights were held in the drill hall, Buckle Street down from the Carillon. They usually lasted a couple of hours, half spent doing squad drill, during which time we would be inspected, practice falling in, dressing, open and close order marching and turning. As we improved this period shortened and more time spent on lectures etc. The remainder was taken up in specialist training. Gun drill, for gunners, drivers worked on vehicles, signallers practised laying out wire for field telephones, sending and receiving messages by Morse code, semaphore (flags), use of message pads, wireless etc. Specialists, map reading, setting up artillery boards, essentially blank maps with the position of the guns to be plotted plus zero line angles, ranges to targets etc.

Gun crews, and I was a gunner from choice, had six members including the driver.

• No1, NCO (Sergeant) in charge and responsible for acknowledging orders regarding the gun and crew and seeing them carried out correctly. He is also responsible for the condition of the gun and the discipline and efficiency of the crew.
• No 2, is seated on the right of the breech, opening and closing it as required when the gun was to be loaded and fired. He also set the range as ordered on the range drum.
• No 3, junior NCO (Bombardier, 2nd in command) is seated on the left of the breech. He sets the angle (line) on the dial sight, angle of sight (shooting up or down hill) on the clinometer, aims the cross wires in the sight on the aiming point, reports when ready and actuates the firing lever on command "fire" from No1.
• No 4, loader, on command "load" moves in to the rear of the breech cradling a round and loads the gun then moves back clear of the recoil; on firing, the barrel slides backwards on guides, actuating the buffer and recuperator system, which absorbs the shock of discharge and returns the gun to the firing position ready for opening the breech by No 2 and the ejection of the cartridge case.
• No 5 is an ammunition number, selects type of ammo, passes rounds to No 4 and generally clears spent cases.
• No 6 is the driver and also acts as an ammunition number during gun drill.

Rapid loading and training (aiming) of a gun ready for firing requires teamwork from all members.

Bearing in mind the nature of war, and the possibility of personnel being wounded or killed, it's necessary to exercise all members of the crew to take over any position at a moments notice. Hence "Gun drill". A procedure designed to have the crew fall in at the rear of the gun in two lines on the command "detachment rear". On the command "change round" the crew members rotate around in an orderly fashion, and then on the order "Take Post" man the gun again ready for further action. Repeating this five times ensures that everyone practises every position and constant repetition gradually brings the slower members up to a high uniform standard.

All personnel, including officers need to be familiar with this drill so that in an extreme emergency the guns can still be manned. Without the guns, the rest of the unit is next to useless.

Continued...

AH Paddison, 2007

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