Drill regulations for field artillery

Until 1908 the tactics of the field artillery was dealt in the manual Устав за строевата служба в полската артилерия (Field service regulations for field artillery) published in 1901. It included the firing practice for guns, batteries and artillery divisions and the rules for the combat. The main innovations were the cut of the number of the guns in the battery, from eight to six, and the expansion of the functions assigned to the artillery division. It was divided into four parts: I. Gun training with mounted instructions (care, management, saddling and unsaddling of the artillery horses). II. Battery training. III. Training for artillery division. IV. Combat. Composition and subdivision of the units The 87mm and 75mm not Q.F. battery was organized as follows : - fighting unit : 6 guns with 3 ammunition wagons subdivided into three sections; - battery reserve : 3 ammunition wagons, 1 spare carriage, reserve troops, reserve horses, hors rang troops; - transport train : 1 field forge, 2 food supply cart, 3 forage carts, 1 tools cart, 1 cart for the baggage. The guns and the ammunition wagons were drawn by six horses, the train carts by four horses. The batteries were grouped by three in artillery divisions (or detachment – отделение, like the German Army Abteilung). Every artillery division was organized as follows : - fighting unit : the division command and the fighting units of the three batteries; - battery reserve : the battery reserves; - transport train : the transport train of the three batteries and the transport carts of the division.
The gun The gun was commanded by a non commissioned officer, the gun leader (оръдеен водач), and attended by five cannoneers (номера) : - the shell-carrier (носач), delivered the projectiles to the loader; - the traversing-lever operator (раличен), placed behind the gun, helped the aimer to turn the gun in the direction of the target; - the loader (пълнач) put the projectile into the chamber; - the firer (затворач) opened and closed the breech-block, primed and fired; - the aimer (мерач) pointed and aimed the gun.
In battle formation the gun was unlimbered, with the spade sunk into the ground and the limber placed behind it. To fire at a covered target the gun leader ordered: “Fire at that target, sight x, quadrant x degrees, the aimer back, the aiming post forward!” Then the firer carried the aiming post 50-100 paces behind the guns, and came back near the gun. After each shot, without any special order, the gun was pushed back by the servants to the firing position, where it was re-laid and loaded. The battery The orders were given by the battery commander and repeated by the others commanders (three section and six gun commanders). To this purpose the Regulations established also trumpet and sword signals. In route formation the battery could move in column (колона) or in open formation (разгънат строй). The section column (взводен колона) was for the first time abolished by these Regulations. In 1903 the Japanese artillery adopted this idea, and, in 1905-06, it was took up by the regulations of every European army, that saw in it one of the acquisition of the Russo-Japanese War. The gun was drawn by 3 pairs (6 horses) and 3 riders, and carried the servants required for its use: three men on the limber, and two on the axletree seats. The gun leader rode at the head of the formation.
In battle formation the guns unlimbered were deployed side by side at intervals of 24 paces. The extension of the whole firing line was around 150 paces. If a lengthy stay was to be made in a firing position, the construction of artificial entrenchments was intended. The gun limbers were placed in a covered position, up to 200 paces sideways or behind the firing line. The 3 caissons of the battery reserve were placed unlimbered directly behind the firing line, one behind every section of two guns at a distance of 20 paces. Their limbers were placed near those of the guns. The battery reserve was placed covered from the enemy sight, at a distance of no more than 500-700 paces behind the battery.
Choice and occupation of the positions. The choice of the firing position fell to the battery commander personally, who should ride ahead with a trumpet and two orderlies equipped with rangefinder and battery telescope. Hidden from the enemy sight, he set the place for the firing position, the gun emplacements and the battery front. At the same time the battery was leaded by the senior officer, who loaded the guns with ordinary shells taken from the limbers, while the sections commanders looked over the matériel and ordered to open the folding doors of limbers and ammunition wagons. After having traced the position, the battery commander returned to the preparatory position, reconnoitred the covered approaches to firing position and selected the place for posting the limbers and the battery reserve. Then he showed the target of the battery, gave the rough sight of the guns, chose the best method to approaching the position, and sent the battery reserve to its place and a sergeant with 6 reserve servants to the limbers position. Finally he led the battery in open formation to the firing position. The firing position should be taken up quickly and, if possible, under cover. The guns were not directly driven into the firing position, but were first unlimbered and then put into position by their crews. The head of the battery reserve settled with the commander of the divisional park section the place where the empty ammunition wagons should go to be resupplied. Conduct of fire. Fire for adjustment (пристрелка) was based on the calculus of probability, while numerical quantities and measuring depended on the extent of the dispersion and the theory of probability. As a rule it was usually carried out with common shells, the height of burst was adjusted after the verifying salvo. Fire for effect (поражение) could be by guns (огън по оръдейнен), in succession (огън по редове), that could be ordinary, rapid or cursory, and by salvos (огън залпово). Reconnaissance. The artillery reconnaissance could be remote (reconnaissance of the target) and close (orientation). Its main task was to provide favourable conditions for firing, and could be really effective only when it was well settled. These Regulations were the first official Bulgarian text offering some key definitions about the artillery reconnaissance. Previously it had been sometimes carried out, but without having a clear awareness of its crucial importance. Combat. The Regulations stressed that all the artillery commanders should accustomed to fulfil their tasks and obey the orders received promptly and without hesitations in every combat situation. From the very beginning of the combat all the batteries should be deployed in fighting position in order to open quickly a mass fire that was able to overwhelm the enemy artillery. As a rule the battery should operate as a part of the artillery division, the use of a single battery as independent unit should be regarded as an exception.