Instructions for the Director of Naval Artillery and Torpedoes

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The Director of Naval Artillery and Torpedoes (D.N.A. & T.) was an officer on the British Naval Staff charged with advising the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff on gunnery and torpedo matters, and heading the Gunnery and Torpedo Division of the Naval Staff. These two sets of instructions are both dated 1918. The original version was amended following criticism from the Commander-in-Chief, Grand Fleet, Admiral Sir David R. Beatty, that they allowed the D.N.A. & T. to by-pass him and communicate directly with subordinate flag officers.[1]

First Version

As issued on 27 June, 1918:[2]


The Director of Naval Artillery and Torpedo will be on the Naval Staff, and will advise the Chief of the Naval Staff on the following matters:-

(1) Principles and methods of conducting Gunnery and Torpedo practices, including preparation of reports and returns on results, as directed from time to time.

(2) The use of all Naval Ordnance & Torpedo materiel afloat and ashore, including the expenditure to be allowed for practice & the allowances of Service Ammunition of each type.

(3) The general direction in which Naval Ordnance, torpedoes, and control equipments require to be developed, in regard to the employment of the weapons in War.

(4) The most suitable gun and torpedo armament, and protection of all types of vessels & the types and numbers of each type of Projectiles to be carried.

(5) The Gunnery and Torpedo training of all officers and men, and Gunnery and Torpedo Text-books connected therewith, in conjunction with the Director of Training, advising Second Sea Lord as necessary.

The D.N.A. & T. will be at liberty to communicate direct with Flag Officers on Gunnery and Torpedo questions of a nature which does not involve Board decision.

He will be at liberty to communicate direct with Commanding Officers of the Gunnery and Torpedo Schools on all Gunnery and Torpedo subjects.

He will be placed in immediate and personal communication with:-

The General Staff War Office
The Master-General of the Ordnance
The Director of Artillery
The Member of Council (D) Ministry of Munitions
The Controller of Munitions Design
The Controller of Munitions Inventions
The President of the Ordnance Committee
The Chief Superintendent of Ordnance Factories Woolwich
The Superintendent of Design
The Superintendent of Research
The Superintendent of Experiments Shoeburyness.
The Superintendent of R.N. Torpedo Factory Greenock.

The Instructions for the D.N.O. (dated May, 1917) will be amended:-

(a) by deletion of the following Paragraphs:-

Para: 4. "The Director of Naval Ordnance will advise the First Sea Lord on all matters affecting the general system of gunnery exercises of the Fleet, and all military questions connected therewith."

Para: 5. "He will, when required by the Second Sea Lord, advise on questions connected with Gunnery training."

(b) by the addition of new Paragraph:-

"When changes in War Material are about to be made which will affect training, the D.N.O. will keep the D.N.A. & T. fully informed, in order that provision for the necessary training may be made."

The Instructions for the D.T.M. (dated March, 1917) will be correspondingly amended:-

(a) by deletion of the following Paragraphs:-

Para: 2. "He will advise the First Sea Lord on all matters affecting the general system of torpedo exercises of the Fleet and all military questions connected therewith."

Para: 3. "He will, when required by the Second Sea Lord, advise on questions connected with torpedo training."

(b) by addition of New Paragraph 16A to be inserted after the heading "General":-

"When changes in Torpedo material are about to be made which will affect training, the D.T.M. will keep the D.N.A. & T. fully informed, in order that provision for the necessary training may be made."

Amended Version

The Director of Naval Artillery and Torpedo will be the Naval Staff adviser of the Chief of the Naval Staff, reposible for keeping him informed on the following matters:-

(1) Principles and methods of conducting Gunnery and Torpedo practices.

Note:- The various Commanders-in-Chief remain entirely responsible for the progress and devlopment in Gunnery and Torpedo matters within the Fleets under their command.

(2) The use of all Naval Ordnance & Torpedo material afloat and ashore.

(3) The general direction in which Naval Ordnance, torpedoes, and control equipments require to be developed, in regard to the employment of the weapons in War.

(4) The most suitable gun and torpedo armament, and protection of all types of vessels and the and types [sic] numbers of each type of projectile to be carried.

(5) The Gunnery and Torpedo training of all officers and men, and Gunnery and Torpedo Text-books connected therewith, in conjunction with the Director of Training, advising Second Sea Lord as necessary.

The Director of Naval Artillery and Torpedo will be at liberty to communicate direct with Commanders-in-Chief or Senior Naval Officers of an independent command on Gunnery and Torpedo questions of a nature which does not involve Board decision.

He will be at liberty to communicate direct with Commanding Officers of the Gunnery and Torpedo Schools on all Gunnery and Torpedo subjects.

He will be placed in immediate and personal communication with:-

The General Staff. War Office.
The Master-General of the Ordnance.
The Director of Artillery.
The Member of Council (D) Ministry of Munitions.
The Controller of Munitions Design
The Controller of Munitions Inventions
The President of the Ordnance Committee.
The Chief Superintendent of Ordnance Factories. Woolwich.
The Superintendent of Design.
The Superintendent of Research.
The Superintendent of Experiments. Shoeburyness.
The Superintendent of R.N. Torpedo Factory Greenock.

The Instructions for the D.N.O. (dated May, 1917) will be amended:-

(a) by deletion of the following Paragraphs:-

Para: 4. "The Director of Naval Ordnance will advise the First Sea Lord on all matters affecting the general system of gunnery exercises of the Fleet, and all military questions connected therewith."

Para: 5. "He will, when required by the Second Sea Lord, advise on questions connected with Gunnery training."

(b) by the addition of new Paragraph:-

"When changes in War Material are about to be made which will affect training, the D.N.O. will keep the D.N.A. & T. fully informed, in order that provision for the necessary training may be made."

The Instructions for the D.T.M. (dated March, 1917) will be correspondingly amended:-

(a) by deletion of the following Paragraphs:-

Para: 2. "He will advise the First Sea Lord on all matters affecting the general system of torpedo exercises of the Fleet and all military questions connected therewith."

Para: 3. "He will, when required by the Second Sea Lord, advise on questions connected with torpedo training."

(b) by addition of New Paragraph 16A to be inserted after the heading "General":-

"When changes in Torpedo material are about to be made which will affect training, the D.T.M. will keep the D.N.A. & T. fully informed, in order that provision for the necessary training may be made."

Instructions for Gunnery Division

Whilst not strictly within the purview of this article, it is perhaps useful to reproduce here the "Instructions for Gunnery Division", dated 1921, for purposes of comparison.[3]


1. The Director of the Gunnery Division (D. of. G.D.) will advise on:—

(a) Practical gunnery and gunnery exercises.

(b) The use of gas and smoke in warfare and counter-measures.

(c) The methods of instruction in the Training establishments for carrying out training in the use of:

(i) Gunnery weapons,
(ii) Smoke, gas, anti-gas apparatus.

He is responsible for keeping the Naval Staff in touch with progress and general development of the Fleet in gunnery and chemical warfare and with the method of conducting gunnery and chemical warfare at sea.

2. He will advise on:—

(a) Gunnery policy, both offensive & defensive as affecting design.

(b) Quanitity and distribution of gunnery material so far as tactical requirements are concerned.

(c) Effect on gunnery policy of technical development and scientific research and progress.

(d) Air co-operation in gunnery matters.

Note.—Technical advice on the design of gunnery material, chemical warfare material, and material for counter measures is the function of the D.N.O.

3. He is responsible for scrutinising all reports of gunnery practices submitted to the Admiralty for review by Senior Officers and Cs.-in-C., and will advise as to the action necessary:—

(a) To control the lines on which the various commands are working, and to co-ordinate their work.

(b) To keep each command in touch with the progress made by others.

(c) To standardise methods.

4. In matters of material arising from reports of practices, he is responsible for co-ordinating suggestions from various commands and for advising on them from the point of view of practical use and Training, before they are dealt with by the appropriate Department under the Controller.

5. He is responsible for the compilation of records and summaries of Fleet gunnery practices, and for the preparation and periodical revision of the Firing Manual and any other handbook relating to his duties. He is responsible that these embody all general orders for carrying out practices necessary for the acquisition and maintenance of efficiency, and all lessons learnt from action experience and peace practices.

Note.—The responsibility for progress and development in gunnery matters in the Fleets under their command rests entirely with the various Commanders-in-Chief.

6. In conjunction with the Director of Training and Staff Duties, who is responsible for advice on feneral policy and principles of training, he is responisble to the A.C.N.S. for the formulation of requirements of technical gunnery training.

7. He is responsible to the A.C.N.S. for advice on training in the use of gunnery weapons, smoke, gas and counter measures carried out at the Training establishments.

8. With regard to paragraphs 6 and 7, he will keep in close touch with the D.N.O. who is responsible to the Second Sea Lord for advice on complements and Quarter Bills, training in so far as it affects safe working and maintenance of material, and training in diving, and who is responsible to the Controller for advice on material.

Note.—The D. of G.D. is concerned with the use of weapons whilst the D.N.O. is concerned with their preparation for use. These respective spheres of activity meet in the drill which is required to finally prepare the weapon for use. Drill, having the double purpose of producing the best result from the weapon and also of preventing damage or accident due to improper handling of material, is common ground to both D. of G.D. and D.N.O., to whom it is therefore a joint responsibility. Whilst therefore close co-operation between the D. of G.D. and D.N.O. is always necessary, it is especially so in the domain of drill.

9. He will be responsible for recommending the type and allocation of targets to meet the requirements of the Fleet.

Note.—Designs, repairs, and provision of targets are administered by the Controller's Department.

10. He will at all times maintain close touch with the Director of Torpedo Division respecting suggestions for the employment of new weapons, and with Director of Plans respecting the strategical aspect of all questions referred to him.

11. He will be at liberty to communicate directly with the Commanding Officers of the Gunnery schools on all questions of Training in the use of weapons lying in his sphere as defined by these instructions.

12. He will conform with paragraph 3 of the Instructions for Plans Division.

Footnotes

  1. The National Archives. ADM 116/1803.
  2. Enclosure to Office Memorandum No. 190 of 27 June, 1918. ADM 116/1803.
  3. Part of "Instructions for Naval Staff." ADM 116/1803.