THE FOLLOWING COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
1. Canvas ammunition carriers soon wear out. These can easily be reinforced with leather by a saddler. A board placed underneath them with rope passed through the brass eyelets has been found very satisfactory.
2. Jolting of the pack causes the ammunition to slip back in the belt, leading to faults in feed. Boxes can be lined with tin from biscuit boxes. Ammunition has been carried in boxes that have been treated in this way for long periods without any movement of the ammunition.
PACKING AND CARRYING GUNS IN LIMBER.
Almost every detachment appeared to have a different method of packing their limbers. It is advisable that gun, tripod, etc., should be carried in the front portion, as the rear half may have to be discarded. In many cases boxes to hold the gun are fitted into the limber itself with good results. Converted guns are sent in boxes too long to fit the limber.
BREAKAGES TO LIMBER.
Perches, brakes and perch hooks have frequently broken. It is thought that brakes are too often used instead of horses being made to take the weight of the limber when descending hills.
BILLETS.
Most Machine Gun Officers appear to make every endeavour to keep their men in practice, practice being daily given whether in or out of the trenches. There are, however, exceptions, who state that there is no time for training. As all brigades doing trench work are similarly situated, this points to lack of effort in those particular cases. In very few cases is any physical training attempted. This is one of the most important parts of the training of any man who has to carry a heavy weight at a rapid pace. After several days of trench work this becomes more than ever necessary. It is suggested that only the minimum number of men actually required to work the guns should be kept in the trenches. The remainder of the team should be practised daily, and every effort should be made to keep them physically fit. In this way each man would do only very short periods of trench work, and would be in every way better and more prepared for really strenuous work when required.