The Gunner's Examiner. Harold E. Cloke
Each company commander will, previous to the commencement of the examination, submit to the adjutant a duly signed list, in the triplicate, giving the full names, arranged in muster-roll order, of all the men in his company who are to be examined for first or second-class gunners, with the statement that he believes that each man so presented is capable of qualifying in the class designated. These lists will be transmitted to the senior member of the board by the post commander.
147. In determining the qualifications of candidates credit shall be given for practical knowledge of subjects rather than for text-book answers to questions.
Schedules for Examinations for Candidates for Gunners.
148. For candidates in companies assigned to gun defence:
| For second-class gunners— | |
| (a) Service of the piece | 25 |
| (b) Guns and carriages | 25 |
| (c) Powders, projectiles, primers, and fuses | 25 |
| (d) Cordage, gins, shears, jacks | 15 |
| (e) U. S. magazine rifle | 10 |
| —— | |
| 100 | |
| For first-class gunners— | |
| (a) The azimuth instrument | 20 |
| (b) Duties in the plotting-room | 50 |
| (c) Aiming and laying guns and mortars | 15 |
| (d) Elementary gunnery | 5 |
| (e) Warships | 10 |
| —— | |
| 100 |
149. The examination of candidates for first-class gunners of organizations assigned exclusively to rapid-fire guns not provided with separate position-finding system shall include the following head in lieu of that given above under (b):
(b) Subcaliber firing 50
150. The examination of candidates for first-class gunners shall be held as far as practicable at such places as the material or equipment pertaining to the subject in hand is located, i.e., at the guns or in the plotting-rooms.
151. The examination in subjects (a), (b), (c) for second-class gunners and in subjects (a), (b), (c) and (d) for first-class gunners shall be confined to the material of the battery and its accessories to which the company is assigned. If no azimuth instrument is included in the battery equipment, the instrument used in the company instruction shall be used in the examination. If for any cause beyond the power of the battery commander any part of this equipment has been removed from his control and has not been available for instruction for at least two months previous to the examination, such material shall form no part of the examination.
152. For candidates in companies and detachments assigned to mine defence:
| For second-class gunners— | |
| (a) Ammunition, nomenclature, and service of guns assigned | |
| to the company of which the candidate is a member | 15 |
| (b) Material of and duties in the loading room (except | |
| electrical principles involved) | 35 |
| (c) Material for and duties on water | 30 |
| (d) Cordage | 10 |
| (e) U. S. magazine rifle | 10 |
| —— | |
| 100 | |
| For first-class gunners— | |
| (a) Care and preservation of mine material | 20 |
| (b) Handling high explosives | 20 |
| (c) Knowledge and use of the azimuth instrument | |
| and plotting-board | 20 |
| (d) Batteries, generators, and searchlights assigned to | |
| the company of which candidate is a member | 20 |
| (e) Apparatus and operation of switchboard and care | |
| and use of telephone | 20 |
| —— | |
| 100 |
153. The qualifying mark for classification as first or second-class gunner shall be in each case not less than an average of 75 per centum. Whenever, during the progress of the examination of a candidate for either grade, the sum of the marks received on subjects in which he has already been examined, increased by the maximum allowed for the remaining subjects, is less than 75, his examination will be discontinued.
154. Instruction in the course for first or second-class gunner will be given to such men as the company commander may consider capable of mastering the prescribed schedules.
155. Men not receiving instruction in the gunners' classes will perform such duties at their batteries or elsewhere during the hours for instruction as their company commander, with the approval of the post commander, may direct.
156. The board shall keep a record of its marks during the examination, but these marks shall not be published in orders. The record of each company shall be sent to the artillery district commander as soon