Fire Controller Training

The Machine Gunner was himself a specialist in his field but they could not operate to full effectiveness without the MG Fire Controller. This was part of the role of the section or platoon officer but it was also a separate course at the School of Musketry during the Great War. At that time it was not a machine gun course but to enable infantry company officers to direct the artillery accompanying them.

73. Classes for Instruction in Fire Direction and Fire Control

It has been decided to hold divisional classes for instruction in “Fire Direction” and “Fire Control.”

2. An officer will be detailed by the Commandant, School of Musketry, Hythe, to hold these classes, which will be of six working days’ duration. It is the intention that one officer per infantry company should be put through a course in each division.

3. The Commandant, School of Musketry, Hythe, has been directed to make all preliminary arrangements, as regards dates, place, &c., for each course, direct with the divisions concerned.

4. The first course will commence on 15th February, 1915, and divisions will be visited in the following order:-

2nd London (Reserve) Div., T.F.; South Midland (Reserve) Div., T.F.; North Midland (Reserve) Div., T.F.; 9th Div., New Army; 11th Div., New Army; 13th Div., New Army; 14th Div., New Army; 10th Div., New Army.

5. As control and direction of fire is primarily the duty of a senior company officer, as many senior company officers can be spared should be ordered to attend this short course.

(L. 104/Art./2667, M.T. 2.)

Army Council Instruction 73, 7th February 1915.

By 1951, the course the fire controllers had to undertake was more theoretical than that of the MG training and, as such, a man with even higher specialist skills emerged after a long and strenuous period of training. To decode the lesson numbers found in the below table please go to the lesson list.

plate4_1
The Director: The Fire Controller’s companion and main piece of equipment when setting up dial sights.
  Periods
SubjectLessonLecturePractice
General Principles931 
 941 
 95 1
 961 
Visual Training6612
Direct Fire971 
 9812
 9912
 10012
 10111
Instruments and Aiming43 1
 44 2
Indirect FireRevision, Direct Fire 2
 1091 
 1101 
 11112
 11212
 11312
 11412
 11512
 Revision, Indirect Fire 4
Flanking and Overhead Fire10212
 10312
 10412
 Revision 2
Fixed Lines10512
 10612
 1071 
 Revision 2
Night Firing10812
Map Shooting11612
 11712
 11811
 Practical Problems 6
General Maintenance16 1
Spare Parts and Repairs18 1
Instrument Tests45 1
 46 1
 47 1
 Revision 2
MMG Range CoursePart 3, Direct 4
 Part 3, Indirect 4
RangefinderConstruction of Range Cards 1
Blank Firing AttachmentAppendix I 1
TOTALS 2673

Sources

  • The National Archives, WO 293/2, Army Council Instructions 1915 January to June
  • War Office, 1951a