WWI Guns of the Royal Artillery - "The Colours"

[IrishGunner]

We've a thread on the RA badges; so, I thought I'd start on on the guns of the First World War. Please, feel free to add your British WWI guns.

The Colours of the Royal Regiment of Artillery are its Guns and when on parade the Guns are to be treated the same as the Colours of the Cavalry and Infantry regiments. In fact, the Royal Horse Artillery on parade with its Guns, takes precedence over all other Regiments and Corps of the British Army.

I'll start with this un-posted card showing a RA captain with an Ordnance BL 6 inch 26cwt howitzer

BL is for "breech loading". Six inch refers to the diameter of the barrel's bore; while the qualifier "26cwt" refers to the weight of the barrel and breech together which weighed 26 long hundred weights (1.3 t).

(PS: I always find the British system of gun sizes to be more confusing; much prefer the simple bore measurement in centimeters of the German guns.)

Edited September 29, 2013 by IrishGunner

[The Prussian]

I follow with a few photos of my collection.

Note the last one. It written with "15-Pfünder beim Abschuß". I assume, it´s a german 280mm L/40 .But it´s really a wonderful "Boom-photo"...

Edited September 29, 2013 by The Prussian

[Mervyn Mitton]

IG - a good subject, I hope it brings in a lot of replies. How do the US Artillery regard their guns - are they held as

'Colours' as with the British ? Mervyn

[IrishGunner]

Mervyn, no, the US artillery does not consider its guns as its regimental colors. Each US artillery regiment has its regimental flag and insignia. However, the US Field Artillery is considered "right of the line" - being the senior arm in the senior service (the Army being the oldest US military service dating from 1775).

I hope the thread brings a lot of replies as well; I don't have as many photos of British guns as I do of German guns...

Edited September 29, 2013 by IrishGunner

[IrishGunner]

Used more in combat during the Second Boer War, this is a Ordnance BL 15 pounder field gun. I don't believe these ever saw action in France. This one appears as being used for training at a barracks in Britain.

In this case, "15 pounder" refers to the weight of the shell being fired...

Kitchener's Army was the "New Army" recruited immediately after the outbreak of the First World War in order to rapidly expand the British Army; named for then War Secretary, Horatio Kitchener.

Edited September 29, 2013 by IrishGunner

[IrishGunner]

A couple of Ordnance BL 9.2-inch howitzers...I believe Mark I models (Mk II had a longer barrel). The 9.2 inch howitzer was the primary weapon of the Royal Garrison Artillery Siege Batteries and often were used for counter-battery fire.

These two pieces are on German post cards as they were captured.

[IrishGunner]

I'll toss this one in here for fun... I think the shells are for the 6 inch howitzer. Too difficult to tell what medal the old guy is wearing...

Edited September 29, 2013 by IrishGunner