Preparing for ARTY DP1.1

[62RHLI]

Hello Army.ca!

I've just finished my CAP this summer and should be doing my DP1.1 Artillery Troop Commanders Course next summer.
I was hoping some of you could point me (or any of my other gunner friends who just finished CAP) in the right direction as to prepare or do any work up for the course.

Are there any mathematics that would be good to practice?

Other than patrol orders, BP, and LAV III turret drills, are there any other aide memoires I should make?

Any advice would be greatly, greatly, appreciated.

Thanks for your time!

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Don't think you will need LAV3 drills....

You may want to read:

B-GL-371-015/FP-001 Gun Drill: LG 1
B-GL-371-003/FP-001 Field Artillery Operational Procedures
B-GL-371-004/FP-001 Duties at Regimental Headquarters and the Gun Position
B-GL-371-002/FP-001 Duties of the BC and Observers
B-GL-371-005/FP-001 Field Artillery Instruments
B-GL-371-008/FP-001 Gun Drill, 105 mm Howitzer, C3

And any other pub that deals with Arty

 

[jeffb]

And of that list take particular note of B-GL-371-004 Duties at Regimental Headquarters and the Gun Position. Especially read chapter 4 (Fire Discipline) and try to memorize as much of it, verbatim, as possible. Pay particular attention to memorizing the Observer's and CPO's sequence of orders. You won't know what any of it means right now but don't worry about that.

Don't worry too much though about the course. Most people struggle with recce and there is little that you can do at this point to prepare for that. Just make sure you fully understand your director drills when they are taught to you.

 

[Old Sweat]

For something that will help you all through your career, get in the habit of really looking at terrain as you are travelling. Learn/teach yourself to recognize folds and little hills and level open pieces. Learn to recognize marshy ground and gravelly ground. If you see a field that has been hayed (that is, the hay has been moved) or one where the crops has been reaped, look at the pattern the farmer has driven to cut the growth.

Sometime when you are sitting looking over a vista, study it to see which way the drainage runs and how the natural shape of the ground has influenced the siting of roads and buildings. Take notice as the natural light and the direction from which the sun is shining changes the appearance of the shape of the ground.

All this will help you with what JeffB mentioned, recce, or reconnaissance. In your case it will mean the selection of a position for your troop to occupy and the way that you will decide to carry out the occupation.

 

[FJAG]

For something that will help you all through your career, get in the habit of really looking at terrain as you are travelling.

+1

As to your question on math, the fundamentals of trigonometry can't hurt as artillery is 99% trigonometry. Luckily the computers etc do almost all the work for you but it never hurts to understand the underlying concepts. I have to admit I never quite got it in high school but the light came on for me during basic arty offr training.

 

[jeffb]

A few random thoughts:

- Remember the phrase, "where cat tails grow, guns don't go." Further to OS' point, always DRIVE the ground before you bring guns onto it. Sometimes, especially in the late fall, ground will look good and will even feel good when you walk on it only to find that the gun tractor sinks to its axles.

- Avoid having lights on during night recces. This is especially true near the director as the last thing you want is for a gun to lay on your buddy rather then the director. Light discipline is both a tactical and a technical imperative!

- With respect to the math problem, it will help you somewhat understanding concepts on DP 1.1 but it will help immeasurably on DP 1.2 when you get to survey.

 

[Bird_Gunner45]

I'm currently serving as an IG at the arty school, and there's a lot of good advice so far for you to latch on to.

Basically, on 1.1 you're going to do Troop level Recce (3 guns but they'll likely still have you put down 6 guns for practice), Basic Manual Artillery Plotting System (MAPS- which is mathematical calculations for gun data) and IFCCS drills in the CP.

Attached is a copy of an artillery move order... if you can learn what everything in it means, and navigate that recce will be easy... I have a video on recce as well I can try to attach later..... it's a good reference.

Best advice though? Remember- everything in the military is meant to be done when you're tired, wet, and hungry... dont over complicate anything and you'll be good to go.

Ubique!

 

[Old Sweat]

At the risk of disillusioning the modern generation, the move order proforma has not changed a lot since I did artillery officer training in 1961. Nor should it have, the basic information one needs has not changed, and the proforma gives you all you need.

From a RIG (retired IG) to a PIG (practicing IG), thanks for posting it.