Field Gun Insight

RUN OUT
Burning…2…3…4…5…Stand by……At the exploding of a thunder flash the field gun and limber is raced from the start position down the side of the arena, turning at the end so it can be manhandled over a five-foot wall. Within seconds, wooden spars weighing 170lb are erected and wires rigged across the 28ft chasm. Whilst field gun and limber are rapidly dismantled, the first field gun men are hauled across, some carrying 120lb wheels on their shoulders, the field gun carriage and field gun barrel follow, the field gun barrel that weighs 900lb, is launched back into its gun carriage, the remainder of the field gun crew, wheels and limber are pulled across. Having raced through the opening in the enemy wall, which is too narrow for the field gun and limber to pass through with wheels on, it is disassembled then reassembled and raced to the1st action line where the field gun crew engages the enemy firing three rounds as quickly as possible.

RUN BACK
A bugle call is sounded. All the field gun crew with field gun and limber has to be withdrawn over the wall and back across the chasm. The steel wire over the chasm is tested to some 5 tons and it sags each time these heavy field gun items are hauled over it. As soon as the last man of the field gun crew is across the chasm, the rig is collapsed and at the 2nd action line, the gun crew fire three rounds to signal the end of the run back .