New Zealand Field Artillery question

[Mike Cecil]

Thanks, Lynn, always get a chuckle from your amusing phraseology.

I have a copy of Jeff's book on AFVs, but I don't remember him venturing into artillery.

So local production is unlikely, which means the RNZA must have procured their guns from elsewhere.

Regards

Mike

[Lynn Eades]

Mike, I gained my heavy trailer license towing a 5.5 gun with an Australian Mk V. Inter 6x6, (4th Med Bty) however my knowledge of artillery has more to do with the electric brakes of the 5.5 than of the gun itself. (ex RNZEME mechanic, hence the Bluebell bit) Someone else needs to chime in.

[Russell Boaler]

I'm with Lynn on that one I don't think that NZ manufactured artillary peices during WW2. Instead we sourced it from wherever we could... UK, Au, Canada... we weren't fussy. I have seen some photos recently of some trial carriages that we made to suit existing guns (post WW2 I think) but they only ever got to prototype phase and as far as I know never went into production.

[Mike Cecil]

Thanks Gents, I'll take that as enough to go with.

New Zealand had three infantry divisions, I think. If that is correct, then NZ would have needed 24 field guns x 3 Regiments x 3 Divisions = 216 plus operational reserve plus training establishments, so probably around 300 field guns that had to be sourced from somewhere.

Lynn - the 5.5-inch BL How was reportedly a very nice medium gun, but I have not looked into its use very much. Aust used the same gun (started arriving in 1943) and post war used the Mack NR as the tractor until the Inter F1 6x6 (what you are calling a Mk.5) came along. It was probably a bit much for a 4x4 Inter to handle safely.

Thanks

Mike

[Lynn Eades]

Mike, I believe the 5.5 gun was too much for the 6x6 Inter. I remember having to drive through the red line of the rev counter to get the combination rolling. That's on the flat and we have hills.

[dcrfan]

Our original gun tractor for 5.5 was Scammell Pioneer.

I agree NZ imported all our artillery but did modifications like retrofitting 3' guns to Valentines so they could view HE..

[Lynn Eades]

Dan, While I was with the 1 Inf Bde. Gp Wksps LAD. (Ngaruawahia Military Camp 1971 to 74)) 4 Medium Battery had 6 x 5.5" guns, 6 x 6x6 International gun tractors and one Pioneer Scammell. I don't believe we ever had enough Scammells to have one as a tractor for each gun. I think earlier on there were Matadors as gun tractors. I'm not sure.