—Slam the apron.
—Attempt to move the caisson with the door open.
—Forget to put your left elbow on the outside of your left knee in using the hand fuze setter.
—Forget to set the brake on the 1916 caisson.
—Throw the waterproof caps under your feet.
—Talk.
TRAINING GUN CREWS.
This article is not intended to cover all of the work of the gun crew, it is intended merely to cover certain points sometimes lost sight of. References are to the 3” gun, but any crew efficient in serving that excellent weapon will have little trouble in mastering any other.
All refinements taught have but one prime object, that is accuracy of fire. It is of no value to make atmospheric and velocity corrections if still greater variations are constantly introduced by poor service of the piece. The foundation of battery efficiency is well-trained gun crews. Officers may be able to lay out orienting lines with the greatest facility, may know the range tables in the dark, but it will avail little if they cannot train men to apply properly and accurately the data determined.
The safety of our own infantry and the effectiveness of our fire are absolutely dependent on the continuous training of gun crews, and the resultant precision and sureness with which they perform their work. This can only be obtained by constant drill from the day the recruit joins until the day of his discharge; not by long drills in which he grows tired and loses interest, but by short periods broken by instruction in other subjects; not by many hours one week and none the next, but by a short period every day of the week. The best gunners grow rusty in a very few days; constant short drills will give results and are the secret of success. Every man must get instructions every day, be he raw recruit or expert gunner.