expended 351,800 rounds. During this engagement the Japanese succeeded in getting within 10 m. of the Russian lines. Thirty bodies were picked up at 15 paces, and 580 bodies from 100 to 150 paces from the Russian position. The 139th Infantry lost 54 men killed, and 6 officers and 250 men wounded. Major V. Tettau[1] states that during the battle of Liao Yang (30th August, 1904), the 36th Infantry expended 416,800 rounds of ammunition, and the 34th Infantry (two battalions), 250,000 rounds, or for 4,200 Russian rifles an average of not less than 160 rounds per rifle.
The Japanese infantryman carried 120 rounds, and each company had, in addition, one two-wheeled ammunition cart carrying 16,000 rounds of ammunition. When packs were removed, each man carried a bag in which were packed three days' rations, and from 200 to 250 cartridges. The Japanese infantry invariably followed the principle that each man should be supplied with as much ammunition as possible before going into action. In the engagement at Kinchau (26th November, 1904), the 1st Infantry Division expended 64, the 3rd 54, and the 4th 143 rounds per man of the original effective strength.[2]
Although, according to the examples cited, 100 to 150
rounds of ammunition per man will in general suffice in battle,
cases may arise where troops could fire a greater number
of rounds to good advantage. This must be taken into account
when determining the number of rounds with which the infantryman
should be supplied—on his person and in the ammunition
wagons. Moreover, it must be remembered that the
supply can be replenished without difficulty from the ammunition
columns after a battle, so long as it is still possible to assign
a separate road to each army corps. When this is no
longer practicable, the ammunition columns will encounter almost
insurmountable difficulties in supplying the infantry
with ammunition.
