This breech-loading gun was an improvement on the 2.5 inches (63.5 mm) muzzle-loading screw gun but still lacked any recoil absorber or recuperator mechanism. It could be dismantled into 4 loads of approximately 200 pounds (90.7 kg) for transport, typically by mule.
It was originally manufactured without a Gun shield, but these were made and fitted locally during World War I, at Nairobi in 1914 for the East Africa campaign, and at Suez in 1915 for the Gallipoli campaign.[4]
It was eventually replaced by the BL 2.75 inch Mountain Gun from 1914 onwards but was still the main mountain gun in service when World War I began.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (May 2008)
Guns of the 26th Mountain Battery of the Indian Army were the first British Empire artillery to open fire in the Middle East in World War I, on 26 January 1915, Qantara (Kantara), against the Turkish advance towards the Suez Canal.[4]
There is some evidence that the Turkish defenders on Gallipoli were also using the 10 pounder, bought prewar from New Zealand, as the ANZACs discovered 10 pounder shell bodies fired at them made in India which were not from their own guns.[5][6]
In the East Africa campaign, the following Indian batteries used the 10 pounder with distinction in constant action :-
27th Mountain Battery (6 guns), part of the Indian Expeditionary Force C, from 27 August 1914 to 2 January 1918.
28th Mountain Battery with 6 guns arrived with Indian Expeditionary Force B from 30 October 1914, returned to India December 1916. 28th Battery's first engagement occurred with the guns tied to the deck of HM Transport ship Bharata, firing in support of the unsuccessful British attempt to capture Tanga on 3 & 4 November 1914.[7] Gunner Mehr Khan was awarded the Indian Distinguished Service Medal and Subadar-Major Nur Allam was awarded the Order of British India for their actions in 28th Battery defending Jasin on 18 January 1915.[8]
1st Kashmir (4 guns) arrived 5 December 1916, returned to India 2 February 1918. Between them the 1st and 27th were awarded 2 Order Of British India, 1 Indian Distinguished Service Medal, 7 Meritorious Service Medals, 12 Mentioned in Despatches.[9]
24th Hazara Mountain Battery (Frontier Force) served in East Africa from 26 April 1917, taking up the 6 guns left by 28th Battery.[10] A typical extract from their War Diary reads : "Ndundwala 2nd July 1917... one section came into action and fired 87 rounds shrapnel at enemy holding river crossing place at range 750 yards. Forward observer reported three direct hits on his breastworks. Sniping continued" 19 August 1917 : "constructed an emplacement within 150 yards of enemy... tubes which were dated 1901 are very bad and several misfires occurred... during last 15 days fired 548 shrapnel, 35 common and 4 star shells at average range of 1,000 yards".[11] They returned to India in November 1918.
22nd (Derajat) Mountain Battery (Frontier Force) arrived in the East Africa campaign on 18 December 1916, when they relieved the 28th Battery which returned to India.[12] They appear to have initially used 10 pounders and re-equipped with 3.7 inches (94.0 mm) howitzers some time later, as Farndale reports they first used their 3.7 inches (94.0 mm) howitzers in action in the attack on German positions at Medo, 11 April 1918.[13] They returned to India in November 1918.
^Common shell were "Special for India" (Treatise on Ammunition 1915, page 159). References will be found to Indian mountain batteries using common shell in World War I.
^Britain typically designated smaller ordnance by the weight of its standard projectile rather than calibre. Hence this gun typically fired a projectile weighing approximately 10 pounds (4.5 kg).
General Sir Martin Farndale, "History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. The Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base, 1914–18". London : The Royal Artillery Institution, 1988. ISBN1-870114-05-1
I.V. Hogg & L.F. Thurston, British Artillery Weapons & Ammunition 1914–1918. London:Ian Allan, 1972. ISBN978-0-7110-0381-1
1970s Command Magazine SCREW GUN article with rare photos and art work[permanent dead link]
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to BL 10 pounder Mountain Gun.
Handbook for 10 – pr. jointed B. L. gun, mule equipment, 1902 at State Library of Victoria
Handbook for 10 – pr. jointed B. L. gun, mule equipment, 1904 at State Library of Victoria
Diagram of gun and carriage and photograph of gun at Firepower 28 November 2022 at the Wayback Machine from Victorian Forts and Artillery website
10 pounder Mountain Gun at Landships
October 19, 2023
pounder, mountain, ordnance, pounder, mountain, developed, successor, inch, screw, which, outclassed, second, boer, ordnance, indian, army, pounder, mountain, crew, gallipoli, 1915typemountain, gunplace, originunited, kingdomservice, historyin, service1901, 19. The Ordnance BL 10 pounder mountain gun 3 was developed as a BL successor to the RML 2 5 inch screw gun which was outclassed in the Second Boer War Ordnance BL 10 pounder mountain gunIndian Army 10 pounder mountain gun and crew Gallipoli 1915TypeMountain gunPlace of originUnited KingdomService historyIn service1901 1918Used byUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandBritish RajWarsWorld War IProduction historyManufacturerWoolwich Arsenal Elswick Ordnance Company UK VariantsMK ISpecificationsMassBreech 207 lb 93 9 kg Barrel 197 lb 89 36 kg Total 874 lb 396 4 kg 1 Barrel lengthBore 72 4 in 1 8 m Total 76 4 in 1 9 m 1 ShellShrapnel Common shell 2 10 pounds 4 54 kg Calibre2 75 inches 69 8 mm ActionBreech Loading with separate shell and chargeRecoilNoneCarriageWheeled box trailElevation 15 25 1 Traverse0 Muzzle velocity1 289 ft s 393 m s 1 Effective firing range3 700 yards 3 383 m Time Fuze 6 000 yards 5 486 m Percussion fuze 1 Contents 1 History 2 Combat service 2 1 World War I 3 See also 3 1 Weapons of comparable role performance and era 4 Surviving examples 5 Notes and references 6 Bibliography 7 External linksHistory EditThis breech loading gun was an improvement on the 2 5 inches 63 5 mm muzzle loading screw gun but still lacked any recoil absorber or recuperator mechanism It could be dismantled into 4 loads of approximately 200 pounds 90 7 kg for transport typically by mule It was originally manufactured without a Gun shield but these were made and fitted locally during World War I at Nairobi in 1914 for the East Africa campaign and at Suez in 1915 for the Gallipoli campaign 4 It was eventually replaced by the BL 2 75 inch Mountain Gun from 1914 onwards but was still the main mountain gun in service when World War I began This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it May 2008 Combat service EditBritish mountain guns were operated by men of the Royal Garrison Artillery World War I Edit Guns of the 26th Mountain Battery of the Indian Army were the first British Empire artillery to open fire in the Middle East in World War I on 26 January 1915 Qantara Kantara against the Turkish advance towards the Suez Canal 4 The gun was used notably in the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915 by two Indian Army units the 21st Kohat Mountain Battery Frontier Force and 26th Jacobs Mountain Battery of the 7th Indian Mountain Brigade with 6 guns each at Anzac and by the Scottish Territorial Force unit the 4th Highland Mountain Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery Argyllshire and Ross amp Cromarty Batteries with 4 guns each at Helles and then Suvla The 21st Battery was granted the title Royal in 1922 for its actions including Gallipoli unique for an artillery battery 4 nbsp Sgt Paterson 4th Highland Mountain Brigade circa 1915 There is some evidence that the Turkish defenders on Gallipoli were also using the 10 pounder bought prewar from New Zealand as the ANZACs discovered 10 pounder shell bodies fired at them made in India which were not from their own guns 5 6 In the East Africa campaign the following Indian batteries used the 10 pounder with distinction in constant action 27th Mountain Battery 6 guns part of the Indian Expeditionary Force C from 27 August 1914 to 2 January 1918 28th Mountain Battery with 6 guns arrived with Indian Expeditionary Force B from 30 October 1914 returned to India December 1916 28th Battery s first engagement occurred with the guns tied to the deck of HM Transport ship Bharata firing in support of the unsuccessful British attempt to capture Tanga on 3 amp 4 November 1914 7 Gunner Mehr Khan was awarded the Indian Distinguished Service Medal and Subadar Major Nur Allam was awarded the Order of British India for their actions in 28th Battery defending Jasin on 18 January 1915 8 1st Kashmir 4 guns arrived 5 December 1916 returned to India 2 February 1918 Between them the 1st and 27th were awarded 2 Order Of British India 1 Indian Distinguished Service Medal 7 Meritorious Service Medals 12 Mentioned in Despatches 9 24th Hazara Mountain Battery Frontier Force served in East Africa from 26 April 1917 taking up the 6 guns left by 28th Battery 10 A typical extract from their War Diary reads Ndundwala 2nd July 1917 one section came into action and fired 87 rounds shrapnel at enemy holding river crossing place at range 750 yards Forward observer reported three direct hits on his breastworks Sniping continued 19 August 1917 constructed an emplacement within 150 yards of enemy tubes which were dated 1901 are very bad and several misfires occurred during last 15 days fired 548 shrapnel 35 common and 4 star shells at average range of 1 000 yards 11 They returned to India in November 1918 22nd Derajat Mountain Battery Frontier Force arrived in the East Africa campaign on 18 December 1916 when they relieved the 28th Battery which returned to India 12 They appear to have initially used 10 pounders and re equipped with 3 7 inches 94 0 mm howitzers some time later as Farndale reports they first used their 3 7 inches 94 0 mm howitzers in action in the attack on German positions at Medo 11 April 1918 13 They returned to India in November 1918 The gun was also used in the Palestine campaign See also EditList of mountain artilleryWeapons of comparable role performance and era Edit Canon de 65 M montagne modele 1906 approximate French equivalentSurviving examples Edit nbsp 10 Pounder Mountain Gun on display at the Royal Artillery MuseumA restored gun is on display at the Royal Artillery Museum Woolwich London Archived 26 April 2016 at the Wayback MachineNotes and references Edit a b c d e Hogg amp Thurston 1972 page 41 Common shell were Special for India Treatise on Ammunition 1915 page 159 References will be found to Indian mountain batteries using common shell in World War I Britain typically designated smaller ordnance by the weight of its standard projectile rather than calibre Hence this gun typically fired a projectile weighing approximately 10 pounds 4 5 kg a b c Farndale 1988 Major A C Fergusson 21 Kohat Mountain Battery writing in 1916 Reprinted in The Gallipolian No 85 Winter 1997 CEW Bean THE OFFICIAL HISTORY OF AUSTRALIA IN THE WAR OF 1914 1918 Volume II page 65 11th Edition published by Angus amp Robertson Sydney 1941 Farndale 1988 page 307 309 Farndale 1988 page 313 314 Farndale page 351 Farndale 1988 page 344 Farndale 1988 page 345 346 Farndale 1988 page 338 Farndale 1988 page 351Bibliography EditDale Clarke British Artillery 1914 1919 Field Army Artillery Osprey Publishing Oxford UK 2004 ISBN 1 84176 688 7 General Sir Martin Farndale History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery The Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base 1914 18 London The Royal Artillery Institution 1988 ISBN 1 870114 05 1 I V Hogg amp L F Thurston British Artillery Weapons amp Ammunition 1914 1918 London Ian Allan 1972 ISBN 978 0 7110 0381 1 1970s Command Magazine SCREW GUN article with rare photos and art work permanent dead link External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to BL 10 pounder Mountain Gun Handbook for 10 pr jointed B L gun mule equipment 1902 at State Library of Victoria Handbook for 10 pr jointed B L gun mule equipment 1904 at State Library of Victoria Diagram of gun and carriage and photograph of gun at Firepower Archived 28 November 2022 at the Wayback Machine from Victorian Forts and Artillery website 10 pounder Mountain Gun at Landships Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title BL 10 pounder mountain gun amp oldid 1176319390, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
