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British artillery
This page contains information on:
15 pounder
The name comes from
the shells which weighted nearly 15 pounds. This was the
standard field artillery gun. Some 350 were used during the Boer
War. The only shell used was
shrapnel.
|
Calibre |
3 inches
(7.6 cm) |
|
Weight of
gun |
7 cwt
(355.6 kg) |
|
Weight of
gun carriage packed |
20 cwt 2
qtr 27 lb (1,050 kg) |
|
Weight
behind gun team |
37 cwt 2
qtr 17 lb (1,909 kg) |
|
Ammunition |
Shrapnel |
|
Weight of
shell |
14lb 1oz (6.4 kg) |
|
Range |
Time fuze 4,100 yards (3,750 m) |
|
|
Percussion
5,600 yards (5,120 m) |
12 pounder
The shells of this gun weighed around 12 pounds. The gun
weighed 6 cwt. The gun was loaded from the breech. The only
shell used was shrapnel.
|
Calibre |
3 inches
(7.62 cm) |
|
Weight of
gun |
6 cwt
(304.8 kg) |
|
Weight of
gun carriage packed |
17 cwt 3
qtr 20lb (911 kg) |
|
Weight
behind gun team |
32 cwt 3
qtr 20 lb (1,673 kg) |
|
Ammunition |
Shrapnel |
|
Weight of
shell |
12 lb 8 oz
(5,67 kg) |
|
Range |
Time fuze
3,700 yards (3,380 m) |
|
|
Percussion
5,400 yards (4,940 m) |
5 inch howitzer
The howitzer fired a heavier
shell than the 12 or 15 pounder but the steeper trajectory resulted in a shorter range.
Batteries of howitzers were introduced in 1896 in an attempt to support
the shrapnel fired by the 15 pounder. Common
shell was used.
It
was felt that the howitzer was an inadequate weapon during the Boer War.
The gun was too heavy, the shell too light and range too short.
|
Calibre |
5 inches (12.7 cm) |
|
Weight of
gun |
9 cwt (457
kg) |
|
Weight
behind gun team |
48 cwt 1
qtr 26 lb (2,463 kg) |
|
Ammunition |
Common
shell |
|
Weight of
shell |
50 lb (22.7 kg) |
|
Range |
4,900 yards
(4,480 m) |
5 inch gun
This gun was the answer to Boer Long Tom but,
although it was not a direct competitor because the Long Tom shell
weighted twice as much, it was a match for range. The gun could
fire shrapnel and
common shell.
|
Calibre |
5 inches
(12.7 cm) |
|
Weight of
gun |
40 cwt (2,030 kg) |
|
Weight of
gun carriage packed |
74 cwt (3,760 kg) |
|
Ammunition |
Common and
shrapnel shell |
|
Weight of
shell |
50 lb (22.7 kg) |
|
Range |
Time fuze 5,400 yards (4,940 m) |
|
|
Percussion
10,500 yards (9,600 m) |
Summary of the guns used
|
Type of
gun |
Number
in
South Africa
1
Jun 99 |
Number
sent
to South
Africa
1 Jun 99 - 1 Jun 02 |
Rounds
fired |
|
|
|
|
|
|
37 mm
Vickers-Maxim (Pom-pom) |
- |
50 |
193,837 |
|
3 pr
Hotchkiss QF |
7 |
- |
Unknown |
|
2.5 inch
RML (Screw guns) |
24 |
7 |
3 875 |
|
7 pr RML gun |
28 |
- |
Unknown |
|
9 pr RML gun |
10 |
- |
137 |
|
76 mm
Hotchkiss |
- |
1 |
Unknown |
|
12 pr RBL |
3 |
- |
Unknown |
|
12 pr 6cwt BL |
- |
78 |
36,161 |
|
12 pr 12 cwt QF |
- |
18 |
6,143 |
|
121/2
pr QF |
- |
4 |
1,495 |
|
15 pr 7 cwt BL |
27 |
322 |
166,548 |
|
4.7 inch QF |
- |
24 |
3,035 |
|
5 inch
BL gun |
- |
18 |
5,480 |
|
5 inch BL
howitzer |
- |
39 |
9,790 |
|
6 inch 30
cwt BL howitzer |
- |
12 |
55 |
|
6.3 inch
RML howitzer |
2 |
- |
765 |
|
The
following were taken from Cape (fixed) Armaments for use in the
field: |
|
|
3 pr QF |
7 |
|
Unknown |
|
4.7 inch QF |
2 |
|
Unknown |
|
5 inch BL |
2 |
|
Unknown |
|
6 inchQF |
4 |
|
317 |
|
9.2 inch BL |
1 |
|
Unknown |
|
|
|
|
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Source:
These figures are
taken from appendices 28 and 29 of the Royal Commission on the War in
South Africa.
Naval guns
The Navy supplied the following guns:
-
2 x 3 pounder Hotchkiss QF
-
1 x
6 pounder Hotchkiss QF
-
1 x 7 pounder RML
-
6 x
12 pounder, 8 cwt QF
-
33 x
12 pounder, 12 cwt QF (Long 12)
-
19 x
4.7 inch QF
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