Brian Wolfe

This is a photo of the gun's limber.

Sorry for the blurry photo.

Brian

This is a brass plate that is on another 25 pounder that was donated to the Museum by the Royal Canadian Artillery.

Sorry for the glare.

Brian

A closeup of the breach.

Here a view from the rear of the gun.

Brian

Hello Everyone,

Here are some photos of a couple of 25 pounders that are at the Canadian Military Heritage Museum in Brantford, Ontario. Many thanks to the museum for allowing me to photograph their collection.

To quote Wikipedia's article,

"The Ordnance QF 25 pounder, or more simply, 25-pounder or 25-pdr, was the major British field gun/howitzer that was introduced into service just before WW II to replace the 18 pounder Gun and 4.5 inch Howitzer. It was the British Army's primary field piece into the 1960s. It was considered by many to be the best field artillery piece of the war, combining high rates of fire with a reasonably lethal shell in a highly mobile piece. Smaller numbers served in training the United Kingdom into the 1980's, while many Commonwealth of Nations countries used theirs until about the 1970's. Since leaving UK service the 25 pounder has been used in combat during the Battle of Mirbat in 1972 in Oman. One of the last uses of the 25 pounder in combat was by the Cypriot National Guard during the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus and by Kurds in N Iraq 2003. Ammunition for the weapon is currently produced by Pakistan Ordnance Factories.

Some Stats on the 25 pounder:

Designed : 1930's Variants: Marks I,II, III and Short

Weight: 1.8 tonnes Lenght: 18 ft. 2 inches (5.53 m) from muzzel brake to tip of handspike

Barrel length: 31 calibres [sic] (should this be 3.1 m?)

Width: 7 feet wheelbase (Mk I carriage)

Crew: 6 Shell: Normal, Super

Calibre: 3.45 in (87.6mm) Breech: Verticle sliding block

Recoil: Hydropneumatic Carriage: Box trail

Elevation: -5 to 45 degrees (70 degrees with modified sight mount and digging)

Traverse: 360 degrees on platform and 4 degrees left and right on carriage.

Rate of fire: 6-8 rounds/min. at Gunfire

Muzzle velocity: 1700 ft/s Charge Super

Probably more than anyone wanted to know but what the heck I there it is.

I hope you like the photos.

Cheers

Brian

Here's a closer view of the breach area.

Brian

Here is a photo from the rear. It was very dark and I decided to play with my photoshop program and managed to lighten it a bit.

The legs of the gun are in the towing position. When in action these would be opened up.

Brian

This is a view front in front of the gun.

There are so many items on display it makes it difficult to take photos of anything large.

Brian

I am adding some photos that I took a couple of days ago at the Canadian Military Heritage Museum in Brantford, Ontario.

Due to the indoor lighting and a small flash the photos are not as good as I would have liked but this is the best I can manage, for now.

The first photo is the specification card that is displayed with the 2 pounder.

I hope you like the photos.

Cheers

Brian

Here is the Military Cross as is appears in the museum's case.

Cheers

Brian

Hello Everyone,

While at the Canadian Military Heritage Museum in Brantford, Ontario I took a photo of a Military Cross they have on display. They have several groups of medals there but because they are in wall mounted displays that are not very deep photography is very difficult as the flash obscures the medals. The MC was in a deeper case so placing the camera against the glass I was able to capture the image while avoiding the flash.

The MC was awarded to Lieutenant Harold Brant Preston, the action he was involved in is covered on the display sign that I have included with the post. I have done some further research on Lieutenant Preston that was not covered by the Museum which I will share with the membership.

His Officer's Declaration Paper shows he was born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada on 18 August 1893. His occupation is shown as Reporter and he had previously served in the 38th D.R.C., which I believe was the Dufferin Rifle Company, (a local Militia). The medical portion of the Declaration is not in the Archives and the paper that I researched has no date so I am unsure of the exact date he joined. The unit he was assigned to as a Lieutenant was the 125th O.S.Bn. C.E.F..

Further research shows that he did not survive the war and was killed in action while with the 54th Bn., Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment) on 27 September 1918. He is remembered with honour in the Bourlon Wood Cemetery.

That is all I have researched at this time, I'll have to do more work to find out what battle he died in, probably the cemetery location will give me a starting point as to the battle location. I'll also return to the museum to see what they have in their archives and add to this post anything new that I discover.

Thanks for looking at my post.

Cheers

Brian

HI Brett,

Thanks for keeping a watch for more information.

In my collection I have a South Africa Service Medal (WW II) named to a Zulu. It came with papers, which I don't have for the rest of the S.A. collection so I know a little about his history.

I've been meaning to post my WW II South Africa medals for some time now but keep forgetting (old age + poor memory)

I hope you continue with GMIC, it's a great place to hang out.

Cheers

Brian

By the way-no chance the Canadian Forestry chap was either there as a servant/drover or he enlisted under another name?

I remember reading once that in the First World War, 1-2% enlisted under false names for various reasons.

Personally Brian I would keep the France/Germany Star as it is. Your Dad thought he earned it. Had the 20mm shell hit him he'd have got the medal easily along with a lot of pain and maybe a grave plot.

Your point is well taken Ulsterman

My father is not alone in this belief, most of the men who served in the air crews felt the same way. I could not respect my father more, however, I am torn between the respect for his belief that he deserved the star and my feelings that history should be set right. I guess I can thank him for my obsession for having things set right. I dread the day that I will have to make this decision as he will no longer be with us.

Brian

Hi Michael,

I have a similar problem in my own family. My father has added a France Germany Star to his group even though technically he is not entitled. His reasoning is this. To qualified your had to be in an area that was either under enamey fire or potentially under fire. He served in the RCAF Bomber Command and when not over Europe he was stationed in England. On many occasions they were strafed while in their barracks by 20 mm cannon fire from German fighters. So he was actually under fire and therefore entitled to the France and Germany Star.

Here's the problem as I see it. Long after he is gone and I have also passed away the next caretaker of the medal group and documents will question whether the medals and the documents belong together. Of course they may surmise that he added the star but research should not be based on guess work. My intention is to remount the group as they should be after he has passed away.

I think all such indiscretions should be corrected. I believe it is our duty to set the record straight for future generations.

Just my opinion.

Cheers

Brian

Hi Peachy

That is a very interesting photograph. Are the men actually identified as belonging to the Zululand Police? The only ZP photos I have seen illustrate three articles on the history of the ZP published in the Natal Police magazine (appropriately named 'The Nongqai') and they are not nearly as clear as yours. However, there are some observable differences, such as the men wearing side-caps and having tunics opening all the way down the front with 5 or 6 buttons. Also, it is unusual that the 'other rank' carries an assegai. As far as I know the ZP were armed with rifles, which were very necessary for their Zululand policing and during the Boer War (1899-1902) and Natal Rebellion (1906).

I agree that the young officer is not Mansel. In fact, he looks much younger than the +/- 15 officers shown in the ZP articles, all of whom have (some very impressive) moustaches. (This is also a feature of men in the Natal Mounted Police/Natal Police and it was clearly fashionable in late Victorian/Edwardian times.)

Hi Brian

I suspect that your assegai might be of 'European' manufacture and of the type issued to men of the Native Military Corps during World War II. It looks as though it has a hollow base into which the shaft would have been inserted. This is not Zulu technology. Zulu assegais had pointed tangs, which were heated and burnt into the shafts and then fixed in position by wound wire, plaited reeds or a section of oxtail skin. I was once told that the last method, which involved stretching the tail section over the tang/shaft joint and then allowing it to dry and shrink, died out after the Zulu War. I have a throwing assegai of this kind that was confiscated by police after a faction fight in Zululand in the 1950's.

Regards

Brett

Hi Brett,

Welcome to the GMIC.

It indeed has a hollow base. I'm not sure that my item is even Zulu, or supposed to be Zulu. If it has anything to do with Zulus I would be happy if it just turned out to have indeed been issued to the Native Military Corps during WW II, even though it was made in Europe. This was a gift from a fellow who knew little about it so any new information is most welcomed. Thanks for clearing this up. I hate items in my collection with incorrect information attached.

Do you have any more information on such weapons that were issued to the Native MIlitary Corps?

Cheers

Brian

Here's another view, this time showing the elevation device.

In case you are wondering, the sand bag in the last photo has a sign on it that reads "PLEASE", what you may not be able to read is the rest of the message that asks you not to stand on the display(on the sand bag actually). There is a 25 pound artillery piece behind me as I took the photo. The only way to get a good shot would be to stand on the sand bag. I hope I will be allowed to bring in a ladder after hours and properly photograph their artillery pieces. The museum is PACKED with displays making the photographing of some of the larger items very difficult.

I hope you enjoy my photos, if there is a heaven I hope it is like this museum (assuming I'm heading in that direction and not to )

Cheers

Brian

This photo shows the mortar and some of the rounds it would have fired.

Brian

Oops, let me try that photo again, this time a bit larger.

Brian

Hello Everyone,

Here are a couple of photos taken at the Canadian Military Heritage Museum in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, of an 80 MM Heavy Mortar. Once again I have tried to save myself some typing by including a photo of the display card write up.

The different mortar rounds can be seen on the floor near the mortar's base.

Many thanks to the musuem for allowing me to take these photos and others.

Cheers

Brian

This is a view showing the elevation gauge.

I would have liked to have gotten a better photograph of this and other items but of course it's "hands off" at any museum. It turns out that the Chairman and I used to belong to the same military collector's club back in the 1960s so I may be able to get better shots of many of the items in the collections another time.

In the mean time I hope you enjoy these.

Cheers

Brian

Here's a photo of the Trench Mortar.

Brian

Hello Everyone,

I hope I have this in the correct section.

Here's a couple of photos of a Granatenwerfer that is in the Canadian Military Heritage Museum in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. I've photographed the display sign to save me a lot of typing so I hope it is clear enough to read.

Many thanks to the museum for allowing me permission to photograph their displays.

Cheers

Brian

They said it as a joke and laughing very nice piece of documented History:

Lorenzo

Oh, it was a joke. That's the problem with the internet, it is sometimes hard to know when someone is joking and when they are serious. I must admit to being a bit too serious when it comes to history, I need to lighten up a bit.

Thanks for clearing that up Lorenzo.

Cheers

Brian

Perhaps I misunderstood but didn't the post state that it was Austrian-Hungarian artillery in the square at Brasov? I didn't think Peter was suggesting the this was in Hungary.

Cheers

Brian

My last photo is of the sign that was posted on the display. I fear that you will be unable to read it but I am posting it anyway with the hope that it will be clear enouugh to read.

Thanks for looking at my post.

Cheers

Brian