25-pdr in Korea

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Herb Danter

Hi Hanno:
Greetings from Canada. I doubt if the gun had a split trail. I would like to see some action shots and record where the shell landed.
In my gun drill manual there is no mention of using this method for the howitzer effect.
Of course we Canadians were an "inventive" lot. WE would throw all the gun drill manuals away once we were "in action" and just rely on the "tactical situation" and initiative.
Regards
Herb

Hi Herb,

Thanks for your expert view on this. It shows the Canadians were always trying to make things work for maximum effect.

Groeten uit Holland!
Hanno

[Gunner]

HI Guys:

I'm still looking form my firing tables (my library is a disaster right now) but based on the angle and a low charge (as Herb suggested- charge 1 is likely) the range is only a couple of klicks. My bet is there was a high value target on the reverse slope of the ridge in front of the gun. It may have been that the range slightly exceeded that of the 81mm mortars so the gun was dug into the very odd gun pit!

Unusual that the tractor is parked in front of the gun unless it is to screen the view of the gun from the ridge. The muzzle brake appears to be painted in red oxide primer which is also odd.

Clive: do any other photos from that series show any other guns? I suspect that this is a sniping gun task on a programmed shoot. I wonder where the observer was?

P.S.: Guns have "detachments", tanks and ships have "crews"!

Mike

[servicepub (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Gunner

P.S.: Guns have "detachments", tanks and ships have "crews"!

Mike

Mike,

As an infantryman it was the most polite term I could come up with...

These two photos were the only ones available. Too bad.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Could it be some sort of test? It's the only gun in sight!

H.

[RHClarke]

Originally Posted by Gunner

HI Guys:...It may have been that the range slightly exceeded that of the 81mm mortars so the gun was dug into the very odd gun pit!...I suspect that this is a sniping gun task on a programmed shoot.

I think we can rule out sniping gun tasks -this looks too contrived for that. The gun pit looks purpose-built for shoots beyond the normal upper register. This makes me think that they were testing something rather than delivering hot steel on enemy targets. Perhaps there was a recoil problem they were investigating? Perhaps they were testing a new fuze shell combo and wanted to see the terminal effects without venturing into enemy rifle range?

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I do hope that there were no US forces there in the way.

There is a lovely 25-pdr at the Tower of London that I photographed..a beautiful piece. The caption said that the last use by the Britrish was in 1972 in Oman by the SAS. The gun was used as a saluting gun until 2001.

[Herb Danter (RIP)]

Many Thanks David. I would very much like to use this picture on our website.
I belong to the Limber Gunners Association c/o 7th Toronto Regiment RCA and we are building a new website. We are an Association dedicated to maintaining and displaying a restored WW II & Korean War 25 pdr.for the Regiment.( I served the 25 pdrs in WW II - Normandy & beyond)
My "e"mail address is hdanter@rogers.com.
Thanks again
Cheers
Herb

[CWO (ret) Gilles Aubé]

Originally Posted by David_Hayward

I do hope that there were no US forces there in the way.

There is a lovely 25-pdr at the Tower of London that I photographed..a beautiful piece. The caption said that the last use by the Britrish was in 1972 in Oman by the SAS. The gun was used as a saluting gun until 2001.

Yes it is beautifull!!!
Does someone has the description of the dragropes that are fitted on the howitzer?

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Hi-res supplied direct!

[CWO (ret) Gilles Aubé]

David Hayward, could you be me explicit?