CAB11-57-9 — Page 58

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CHAPTER III (G.

67

(G.)-Action by the Chief Ordnance Officer.

1. The Chief Ordnance Officer has in his possession requisitions for the complete equipment, stores, and tools for each Section of the defence, which will be issued at once without further requisitioning on the orders to mobilize being promulgated. The Officer Commanding Army Service Corps will make the necessary arrangements for their transport. The arrangements made for this service are such that all stores immediately required will reach the various posts within twenty-four hours.

2. Small-arm Ammunition.-The Chief Ordnance Officer will be prepared to make an immediate issue to Corps Commanders of the small-arm ammunition to be carried by the men whether sectional or reserve, namely:—

For infantry

For other units

Rounds.

100

50

3. First Reserve Ammunition.-A first reserve of ammunition consisting of 100 rounds per rifle or carbine will be thus dealt with :-

(a.) Each Sectional Commander will be supplied with the first reserve for his Section. This will be sent to him with the camp equipment, &c., and will be kept in a field magazine to be established in a sheltered and convenient spot near his head- quarters, and will be entirely under his control.

(b.) Commanding Officers of Corps will draw the first reserve for their troops in reserve, and will arrange for the due proportion being sent with any troops detached to reinforce a Section.

4. Second Reserve Ammunition.-The Chief Ordnance Officer will arrange with Section Commanders for the storage of a second reserve of ammunition in each Section of the defence, except No. IV, Wong-nei-Cheong, at the rate of 300 rounds per rifle for the infantry allotted to the Section.

This reserve will be in charge of representatives of the Army Ordnance Department in each Section, who will be detailed by the Chief Ordnance Officer.

In the case of No. IV Section, the first reserve of ammunition held by the Sectional Commander will be replenished direct from the reserves in the Ordnance Magazines in Victoria, as there is no difficulty in that being done quickly, and no means exist of storing a second reserve in this Section.

5. After the issues in paragraphs 2, 3, and 4 have been made, as there are 2,309,400 rounds of small- -arm ammunition maintained at the station, and as a further quantity will probably be available from the ordinary peace supplies, there will still remain in the Ordnance Magazines, Victoria, a balance equal to about 500 rounds per rifle for Infantry, 300 rounds per rifle for Royal Engineers, and 100 rounds per carbine for Royal Artillery, which will be retained in reserve by the Chief Ordnance Officer, and from which will be replenished the Sectional Magazines.

6. Gun Ammunition.-As a rule, all the gun ammunition is stored in the fort magazines ready for use, namely 200 rounds per gun, except in the case of the following guns, for which the proportions are shown below:-

4.7-inch Q.F. Guns

12-pr. Guns

6-pr. 3-pr.

25

Rounds per piece.

300

400

506

512

11,000

303-inch Maxims

The Chief Ordnance Officer will have at once to issue to the Royal Artillery the movable armament, with a proportion of the ammunition, &c., for the same, held in Ordnance charge; the ammunition for the 7-pr. R.M.L. and the ammunition and equipment for the 2-95-in. guns in the possession of the Royal Artillery; also the ammunition for the 2.5-in. R.M.L. guns held on loan by the Hong Kong Volunteer Corps.

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