FAT Fast 17 pounder recovery

[Marc Montgomery]

Whats the story behind finding this and where?

There are 2 x 17pdrs in my town, beside a tiny monument of a WWi soldier. Im sure NO ONE here knows what they are,. Im sure no one would even notice if one or both disappeared.

Several years ago, when I first restored my truck, I went to the local (francophone) legion and asked if they wanted me to participate in their ceremony with my restored CMP...kind of equivocal answer..so I showed up anyway...No one seemed interested..I drove behind them as they marched around a couple streets around the legion...waited at the ceremony, afterward no one said anything to me, invited me inside or in fact said a word to me before during or after...rien...nada..nuttin at all...not even a merci. It was as if this very large original wwii vehicle and owner were not even there...very disappointing experience.. I did not return.

I later discovered an Anglo legion nearby in the next town..they have a 25pdr on the lawn. but few members, and probably fewer now as Anglo community dies or moves away. I should drive by and see if it even still exists.

[Rob Fast]

for sale on Mil Web...I wonder if this was stowed in the FAT? Too far away for me...Cheers Rob

http://www.milweb.net/classifieds/la...ad=60355&cat=6

[rob love]

Filling and purging of recouperators is a weapons tech responsibility, and not that of the users. It is not simply a case of "fillerup". These would not have been issued on the scale of one per gun.

Some of the 25 pounder tools for the guns are still in use today on the 105s. I have a couple of the quick release tools for doing the drawback, and as well, some of the weapons guys have related to me getting old pumps like the one you linked to out of the supply system.

[rnixartillery]

Each 25 pdr carried one of these pumps in the pump box that was located in the No 27 limber stores tray !


Rob ..................rnixartillery.

[Gunner]

Hi Rob and Rob:

When the 25 pounders were first designed, the Gun Tiffy's were still Ordnance Corps or artillerymen. Arte and Marte, the RCEME twins, weren't born until 15 May 1944 (and, speaking as a "user and abuser", we're sure glad to have them around! )

The 17 pounder used a similar recoil mechanism to the 25 pounder (the differences are for the most part, internal) so the same pump was issued on the same scale of one per gun. The funny round 4 inch(ish) bracket on the left trail of a 25 or 17 pounder was where the pump was fitted to the gun and topping up was part of, IIRC, daily maintenance (I'll have to check the manuals) so the pump would be a worthwhile addition to any 25 or 17 pounder collection. I wish I could afford it myself!

Congratulations on adding a 17 pounder to your ordnance collection, Rob F!

I was lucky enough to have one of our Aussie brothers mail me the 17 pounder manuals a few years ago. It will take me some time to dig them out of the mess I call my house (another construction project continuously delayed by frequent deployments overseas!) but once found I'll copy them and send a set along.

UBIQUE! Mike

[rnixartillery]

Quite right, but the no 5 pump was also used on a number of other pieces,the 3.7" mountain gun to name one.One thing should be noted that the pump socket on the gun trail should NOT be painted,it should be clean and greased otherwise the pump will not lock into position.
I have pump sets for all of my guns including my mountain gun which has a Brass socket riveted to the trail.
I have attached a pic of my 25 pdr with the pump fitted .

Rob..................rnixartillery.

[rob love]

I was just talking with an artilleryman today about the topping up of the recoil system. He mentioned that while every 105 is issued one of the little filling tools, and they would add as required when the recoil would be acting up, the weapons techs did not like the users topping up their own recoil mechs.

I stand corrected wrt the scale of issue of the pumps. I guess the operators performed a little more indepth maintenance than they do nowadays.