RobL Posted 10 July , 2010 Share Posted 10 July , 2010 According to wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordnance_QF_18_pounder#Mk_IV_Gun_on_Mk_III_.26_Mk_IV_Carriage a battery of 18 pounder Mk IV's were in use with the 4th Army in 1918, credited to the Osprey book on British Field Artillery - does anyone have any information on this unit, images etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted 12 July , 2010 Share Posted 12 July , 2010 Hello, I think there is some confusion in that, unless I have missed a trick, there were many 18 pdr batteries in each army. The Mk IV was introduced, I think, towards the end of the war. It had a box trail, rather than a pole, thus allowing greater elevation of the piece. Old Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 12 July , 2010 Share Posted 12 July , 2010 I'm in Belgium at the moment I will post the relevent info on my return next Monday. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 26 December , 2010 Share Posted 26 December , 2010 RobL Sorry for the delay here is a picture of 18 Pr Mk lV. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 26 December , 2010 Share Posted 26 December , 2010 Hello, I think there is some confusion in that, unless I have missed a trick, there were many 18 pdr batteries in each army. The Mk IV was introduced, I think, towards the end of the war. It had a box trail, rather than a pole, thus allowing greater elevation of the piece. Old Tom The Mk IV 18 pounder was originally mounted on a Mk III carriage of which I can find no pictures. AFAIK none of these saw service. A small number on Mk IV carriages went to France just before the armistice. This is the one in Johns photo sometimes published as a Mk IV 18 pounder gun on a Mk IV carriage but I think more correctly referred to as the Mk IV 18 pounder equipment. With rubber tyred wheels some went to France again in 1939. Some of the early 25 pounders also used the same carriage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 28 December , 2010 Share Posted 28 December , 2010 Here is a photograph of an 18 Pr Mk lV on a Mk lll carriage. In 1916 the Army Council asked for more range and a fresh design was submitted for trials this was the Mk lll carriage but for various reasons this Mk. was turned down in favour of another design which became the Mk lV. This incorporating a new recoil and buffer system housed in a trough cradle slung on trunions, with the recoil system block inside the cradle and attached to the cradle. When the gun fired and recoiled it took the cylinder with it, the piston rods being secured to the fron end of the cradle. It was a hydro-pnuematic in which the air and oil were kept apart by a floating piston and because there was a cut off gears incorporated in the system it shotened the recoil as the gun was elevated and fired. By incorporating all new design features including a box trail it gave the gun an icrease of range to 9,300 yards or 8,500 m. Here is a picture of an 18 Pr Mk 4 Gun on a Mk lll carriage. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 28 December , 2010 Share Posted 28 December , 2010 Sorry for not attaching the photograph my mouse stopped working and I had to reboot. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 28 December , 2010 Share Posted 28 December , 2010 Sorry for not attaching the photograph my mouse stopped working and I had to reboot. Just give it the right kind of cheese - no need to put the boot in. Thanks for posting the photo though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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