Scenes from the everyday service of the Old Army - Field Artillery

The field artillery brigades usually had 2 and only exceptionally 3 regiments. At the beginning of the 20th century the entire field artillery consisted of 46 brigades, 94 regiments, 199 divisions (182 horse-drawn and 17 mounted divisions) or 574 batteries (532 horse-drawn and 42 mounted batteries).

Furthermore there were 3 training divisions with 3 training batteries each at the training regiment of the field artillery shooting school.

In East Asia there was additionally 1 field artillery division with 3 batteries.

A field artillery battery was organized as follows:

1.       Combat battery: 6 guns, 1 observation wagon, 6 ammunition wagons

2.       Combat baggage: 1 supply wagon, officer and supply horses

3.       Large baggage: 2 supply wagons, 1 food wagon, 1 forage wagon

In the barracks a precisely prescribed barracks and quartering order had to be observed.

The respective room elder (Stubenälteste) was responsible for order, the observance of the given regulations and the behavior of those quartered.

The man on room duty had to clean the room, fetch water, light the stove and take care of the lamps. For the latter task another room elder could also be responsible.

Money and valuables should not be kept in the cupboard but carried on the person or handed to the battery for safekeeping.

At the ordered time the gunners had to get up and make their beds.

During the day no one was allowed to lie or sit on the sleeping places without special permission.

In summer no "light was to be burned" after 10:30 p.m. and in winter after 9:30 p.m.

Civilians were not allowed to enter the barracks without special permission.

The basis for the training of the field artillery consisted of various regulations, namely the Drill Regulations for the Field Artillery, the Firing Regulations for the Field Artillery and the Riding Instruction.

The men of the horse-drawn and mounted batteries were trained in foot and gun drill and in shooting with the revolver. The latter took place at the firing ranges of the infantry.

The mounted batteries additionally received training in riding and driving.

Foot drill was, however, only practiced to a limited extent. In addition there was physical training.

Drills were carried out more frequently with horse-drawn guns.

This was necessary in order to be able to maintain formation within the detachment.

Gun combat was a matter for the batteries. The task of the detachment commander was to determine the targets.

Guard duty also belonged to service in the garrison. A distinction was made between honor and security guards as well as honor and security posts. Honor guards and posts were provided for princely persons and senior officers as a mark of honor. Security guards and posts served to guard certain items.

The guards were under the special command of the commanding general of the army corps, the governor, etc.

With regard to ordinary guard duty, the officer should have at least 16, the non-commissioned officer at least 8 and the private at least 4 nights without watches.

There were specific rules for putting on, mounting and relieving the guards.

Certain duties fell to those on guard.

Guard logs were kept at every guard and in certain situations honorary salutes were required. In special cases the guards stood down.

The larger troop exercises included the regimental and brigade exercises of the infantry, cavalry and field artillery as well as the larger cavalry exercises, special exercises and the maneuvers. For the regimental and brigade exercises of the field artillery 5 and 3 days of exercise were provided respectively.

In maneuvers two parties usually faced each other, the blue (of one’s own country) and the red party.

In the maneuvers the targets of the field artillery were indicated by a frame.

During the march and the larger exercises the communities had to accommodate the troops, i.e. in civilian quarters, on farms, etc. On the troop training grounds and the artillery firing ranges the soldiers and horses were accommodated in barrack camps. In individual cases these could also be tent camps.

The firing exercises of the field artillery usually took place on the troop training grounds. Here a distinction was made between training firing and combat firing. The actual targets were represented or marked by boards made of wood or cardboard.

The main task of the field artillery was the most effective support of the infantry. In principle, according to the Manual for the Troop Leader (Berlin 1912, p. 63), those targets must always be engaged which are most dangerous to the infantry.

The Firing Regulations for the Field Artillery of 11.01.1914 begin: "The Drill Regulations demand of the field artillery above all good shooting, in time, from the right place, against the right target."

The pieces in use were: the field gun, the light field howitzer, heavy guns, the heavy field howitzer and mortars.

Types of fire distinguished were: group fire, flank fire, individual fire and rapid fire.

To operate a gun belonged: 1 gun commander and 5 men as well as 2 horse holders (in the mounted batteries). The gun was operated by the actual gunners; the drivers were only called in to assist.

In the Manual for One-Year Volunteers as well as for Reserve and Landwehr Officers of the Field Artillery (Wernigk, Berlin 1901, marg. no. 73) it says: "Officers should strive to win the respect and confidence of the men by prudence and skill in all branches of service, punctual obedience to orders, zeal in duty, care for the welfare of the man and by proper treatment of the latter. In this respect a serious but calm and not unfriendly manner toward the men, tirelessness in the constant supervision of the soldier and his habituation to discipline and order are recommended ...." The officer corps of the standing army was further augmented by transfers of cadets from the cadet schools, from ensigns with the units, from officers returning from leave and from men who had distinguished themselves before the enemy.

According to the Manual for One-Year Volunteers as well as for Reserve and Landwehr Officers of the Field Artillery (Wernigk, Berlin 1901, marg. no. 74) "the non-commissioned officers ... are the soldiers' immediate superiors and, through the continual close contact with the privates, are best able to influence them. A battery that possesses an efficient NCO corps full of dutifulness, good spirit and service skill will always prove itself; unreliable and unfit NCOs will, even with the best performance and excellent replacements, always call successes into question ...". The NCO corps of the standing army was supplemented by the promotion of suitable corporals or privates, by replacement from NCO preparatory schools and by the promotion of one-year volunteer corporals.

In the field artillery the horse inevitably played a major role.

The horses were mostly housed in (state) stables. There were battery and civilian stables. In the field or on the march the horses were accommodated according to the possibilities available.

Relevant topics in connection with the maintenance and care of the horse included its treatment and examination, health care, i.e. feeding, watering, grooming, turnout, clipping of the horses, bathing of the horses, behavior when the horses returned to the stable, hoof care and shoeing, inspection of the horses, the type of feed, ration scales and drinking water.

The horse doctors (veterinarians) were responsible for treating the horses' illnesses.

Furthermore, the horses' clothing had to be considered, i.e. its fit, inspection, cleaning and maintenance.

Active service obligation lasted 3 years for the cavalry and the mounted artillery, 1 or 2 years for the train, 2 years for the other troops and 3 years for the navy.

Upon discharge from active service the soldier received a military pass for the reserve. With the military pass the soldier also received a certificate of conduct. He was now a reservist. The reserve period together with the service time did not exceed 7 years.

Following the reserve period came the transfer from the reserve to the 1st call-up of the Landwehr, to the 2nd call-up of the Landwehr and to the Landsturm.

Each reservist had certain duties, e.g. reporting obligations. Furthermore he was obliged during his reserve time to take part in at least two exercises.