withdrawn to billets
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When a battery is withdrawn (for the night) to billets, does this include the guns?
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3.00 Right hand margin entry states:
Billets of the Brigade both sides of Lindenhoek-Dranoutre Road. About mile behind gun positions.
Presume the guns left at the gun positions.
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by
cyngast
moderator
I assume they left a few men to act as guards if they left the guns in position. Also, I would think they would check intelligence reports for anything expected from the enemy before leaving the guns.
It must have been a time-consuming and dangerous business to move the guns. Horses had to be brought up, which might attract the attention of the enemy. And then another time-consuming business to put the guns back into their positions. I expect you've seen in artillery diaries where they mention that the guns were left in position when the unit was actually relieved, so that the guns changed units rather than moving those already in position in the line.
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