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rifle exercise manual
tom


Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 45
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Hi there,
any idea which rifle exercise manual was being used at the time if the Zulu War?
Was it the 1876 edition or was there another published between 1876 and 1879?
Thanks in advance.
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Adrian Whiting


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 76
Location: Dorset, England
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Tom,

I believe the relevant texts are -

Field Exercise 1877
Rifle Exercises & Musketry Instruction 1874 - with updates by General orders to 1878. These revised the Firing Exercise.

There was a pretty thorough revision of the Rifle Exercises and Musketry Instruction in July 1879, with a significant revision of the Firing Exercise in 1880 to include a command "Fire" in the exercise.

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Adrian
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tom


Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 45
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Many thanks for that,Adrian.
That is helpfull.
Does that mean the command "Fire!" was not used before 1880?
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Adrian Whiting


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 76
Location: Dorset, England
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Tom,

Yes, prior to that change soldier's were given the command "At XXX yards, ready", which caused the men to half turn to their right, the rear rank to step in close behind their file number in the front rank (the front rank would automatically kneel unless advised not to), load and set the backsight accordingly. The next command was "Present". The men brought their rifles up to the shoulder, sought the target, aimed, and after counting three beats of slow time pressed the trigger (we might actually describe the motion as squeeze the trigger nowadays, but the word "pressed" was used then).

They brought the rifle back down horizontally to the "ready" position and awaited either the command "ready" again (reload) or "Unload".

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Adrian
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tom


Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 45
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Thanks again Adrian.
I suppose the firing must have been a bit erratic,which is why they brought in the command "Fire".
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Adrian Whiting


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 76
Location: Dorset, England
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Tom,

I think the volley may still have been pleasantly crisp - it was more a case that it was going to be fired 3 beats of slow time after the command to present, whether there was a target or not.

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Adrian
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rifle exercise manual
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