"Section Volley Fire" Topic

One often reads that the British Infantry of the late-Victorian period used 'Section Volley Fire', but what exactly does that mean / entail?

I am assuming that it was simply a way to control the rate of fire / ammo supply, as it was still used after the introduction of the Lee Metford. I further assume that the soldiers still aimed and picked individual targets, rather than just firing to their front, like musketeers of old.

Can any of the great minds of TMP shed a bit more light on the subject? How many rounds per minute, for example? When was it last used? And why was it dropped?

It sounds archaic, but I am guessing it was a pretty effective tactic?

Not reall knowledge but I think the volley fire was for extream range where there was not much chance of hitting.

I base this on the early WW1 'Volley Sights' on Lee Enfields with calibrations up to 3900yds.

x42

This makes sense. The British Army was still teaching 'volley fire' for the L1A1 SLR (i.e. a whole section aiming at the same target) for targets at extreme range in the 1980s. The number of rounds would always be stated (e.g. '5 rounds at my command') and aimed fire was expected.

Sounds like a mechanism to impliment firs discipline within a unit. Probably has it roots on the WSS?

It is also a way the unit leadership can maintain control over the men for a bit longer. A unit that acts together as a unit is also harder to break. It also helps to keep the men focused upon the job at hand rather then allowing their minds to drift and dwell upon more negative issues. It is one of those "in the weeds" items that makes a difference in the real world but often gets ignored, glossed over or the results too difficult for rules designers to change their value sets from "numbers of casualties" to the effects of the fire that go beyond the numbers.

Well, that's my take after studying such things for the past 30 years. YMMV.

Thanks for the replies.

At first glance, it seems like an out-moded tactic, which is why I was keen to dig a bit deeper. If it was primarily a way of limiting the ROF to (eg) 5 rounds a minute, then I guess it makes sense.

Also, as Dye4minis states, it would also keep the men focused and cohesive.