The Outpost Vol 1 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

I
THE OUTPOST.
75
of rounds at that rate. In this connection, it
is interesting to note that the smartest handling
of the Short Lee-Enfield of which the writer is
aware, is the 32 aimed rounds in one minute (all
on the regulation target at 200 yards), fired by
Sergeant-Major Instructor of Musketry Wallingford.
This well-known Hythe specialist, now
Captain and Director of Musketry Instruction
in the Australian Army, had unrivalled
opportunities for rapid-fire practice, and the
above shoot is very probably a record for the
British service ri fl e.
General Sir O'Moore Creagh, V.C., mentions
that the maximum rate of fire of the German
Mauser rifle is about 9 rounds per minute, but
very few of their men are trained in rapid-firing,
and it is well-known that the long bolt and
clumsy, although powerful, bolt-closure preclude
continuous magazine fire from the
shoulder; besides, the Mauser clip is not so
easy to insert as the British. However, its very
high initial velocity and flat trajectory make
the ..vIauser an ideal rifle for sniping tactics.
German musketry officers at one time considered
our rapid-fire training as an utter waste
of time and ammunition, but they have
probably all changed their opinion now; wellqualified
German critics who have had to face the
rapid-fire of British Infantry describe it as the
most terrible instrument of destruction that has
yet been produced by warfare. A captured
German officer described it as H marvellous,"
and said that they had counted on being able
to rush the British troops at Mons, Le Chateau,
etc., by their" three-line" system of advancing,
but. had found that they were quite unable to
do so, even with their immense numbers,
because of the British rifle-fire which came" so
straight and so quick."
He plaintively added that " they had never
had a chance against the British," because,
although they had reckoned on their third line
with the machine guns being able to get within
400 yards, they had never once been able to do
this over anything like open ground, as their
first line was down too soon~-sometimes at 800
to rooo yards. This officer also mentioned
that at the Aisne his machine-gun battery came
under the concentrated fire of British infantry
at over rooo yards, and, while his men
suffered' severely, they were unable to reply to
the British, whom they could not see.
Just as the gallant English yeoman, in days of
long ago, spent infinite care on his cherished
long-bow, and as our hardy Scottish forefathers
kept their keen claymores and mighty
battle-axes in the finest possible fighting
condition, So their modern prototype, the
soldier of the New Army, should grudge neither
time nor trouble in attending to the thorough
cleaning and general care of his rifle. He must
keep a constant and vigilant eye on the rifling
and chamber, the sights, and the magazine,
seeing that they are thoroughly cleaned and
oiled after use, and in perfect working order at
all times. Let me, also, point out another
paramount duty which confronts the soldierto
be " master of himself" as well of his rifieto
avoid any excess which will militate against
a good mental, nervous, and physical condition.
Moderation in all things is the key to " a sound
mind in a healthy body."
Concentration of thought, firmness of
character, steadiness of muscle, clearness of
vision, and perfect nerve-control, are not
found in the man who swills his gallon a day, or
its equivalent in a more potent concoction, nor
are they found in the man who smokes 30
cigarettes per day. I do not suppose there are
any gallon-a-day men in our Battalion, but
undoubtedly the insidious cigarette has too
many devotees. Continuous blinking at
cinema pictures is another fruitful source of
eve-strain. .
- In short, if a man is not going to give himself
a thorough chance of becoming a good
marksman, then he may well sing, in the words
of our classic refrain, " Oh, why did I join the
H.L.I. ? "-or any other regiment for that
matter.
There are a great many other details and
theoretical principles on which one might
expatiate at considerable length, such as the
influences of wind on the bullet, effects of light
and shade, and of changes in barometric
pressures, on the aim, analysis of possible
faults in rifles or, more likely, in their firers, and
so on, but further remarks may perhaps be
better deferred to a future occasion.
M. DRuMMoND, Serge.
t t t
"While one of the companies was on outpost duty
the other evening, in the course of their special
training, a rather hospitable farmer's wife gave two
of our boys a very cheering cup of tea, and conseq
uently it has been suggested that a slight alteration
might be made in the Battalion's now famous song:
Outpost duty in cold weather,
Fills our hearts with dire distress,
But when cups of tea are going,
Outpost-­
The remainder of this line has been censored.
t t t
Of all the drill we ever got
None beats the joyous jinks
Of night manceuvring, what! what!
Upon the Prestwick Links.
Take cover, judging your own time,
Aye keep the" line" in mind,
The exercise is just sublime,
But-don't leave canes behind I