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Six Naval 12-pdr QF guns lined up on the north side of West Street, to the east of the old Town Hall (now the Post Office), Durban, .



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One of the Naval 12-pdr QF guns back on board ship, still mounted on its improvised carriage.
The gun has been re-mounted with the barrel over the trail, presumably to minimise its footprint on the gun deck.



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A Naval 12-pdr QF shell case, fired during the Siege of Ladysmith as part of a 21-gun salute on the Prince of Wales's birthday, 9th November 1899.

With a drawing by Melton Prior depicting the event, captioned "Siege of Ladysmith: Shelling the enemy with 21 guns in honor of HRH the Prince of Wales's Birthday".






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Models of the 4.7-inch guns on their Scott mountings were first made by Royal Navy engineers. Chief Engine Room Artificer Charles Hollinsworth, of H.M.S. Terrible, was one of those who turned their hands to creating stunning detailed miniature versions of the gun, which were often silver plated on their return home (see following post).

Commercial examples appeared shortly afterwards, and included a silver cigar cutter and the famous Britain's die-cast "4.7-inch Naval Gun", which continued in production up until the 1970's.





Country Life Magazine, 2nd December 1993

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Silver plated engineer's model of one of H.M.S. Terrible's 4.7" guns. Ink inscription on card reads: "Model of the Naval 4.7" gun, mounted on the improvised carriage, and landed from H.M.S. Terrible in South Africa during the Boer War 1899". Reverse: "Maker of the Model Chas J. Hollinsworth, C.E.R.A."
128230 Chief Engine Room Artificer Hollinsworth appears on the QSA medal role for H.M.S. Terrible (no clasp). Remark reads "Sent to Vivid 8 May 02".
He also appears on the China (Boxer Rebellion) medal roll as No. 128.230, C.J. Hollinsworth, Ch. E.R.A. 2nd Class. He was then serving on H.M.S. Barfleur. Notes read "3 [clasps] Vivid 8/7/02" and "Presented by H.M. the King 8/3/02".
Gun 306mm long.




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1. Britain's first version of the "4.7-inch Naval Gun", with bronze barrel, closed spring and Registered Design number 388707 (fist half of 1902).

2. The second (1915) version retained the bronze barrel but had a modified "open" spring, visible through a rectangular window in the upper surface of the trail. It seems that a flaw in the first design allowed the tension of the spring to push on the underside of the trail, thus fracturing the brittle metal.The latter guns have the same Registered Design number as the 1902 model, but with the addition of: "PATENT.NO.1215 1915".



.1902 Version




.1915 Version


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