WW1 Military Motors - 1916 set x 50 cards

[GRANVILLE]

Fascinating period film - thanks for posting.

David

[Lancashire Fusilier]

I was thinking more of the fact that would the gunners have been aware of the damage and death caused by their weapon other than if they were on target or not. Front line infantrymen for example would be able to see the results of their actions.

Do we know if howitzers suffered with duff shells that failed to explode?

johnboy,

I am sure the gunners were fully aware of the substantial death and destruction caused by their Howitzer's massive shells, anyone seeing that 12 inch Railway Howitzer fired, must have thought ' God help whoever is on the receiving end of this '.

In late 1914, there was the notorious Shell (shortage) Scandal, when the British artillery on the Western suffered from strict rationing for several months and a persistently high (30%) Dud Shell problem. Following public outcry, Lloyd George was appointed to the post of Munitions Minister in May 1915 and with strict governmental control of the munitions industry, those munitions production problems were largely resolved by the end of 1916, and presumably, that ridiculously high 30% ' Dud Shell ' rate was dramatically reduced.

Regards,

LF

[BSM]

Re post #2798. LF, I certainly echo earlier comments. Great piece of WW1 footage. Thanks for digging out the link etc. There is a "lot" going on so it would take a few viewings to pick up on the details. Having spent many hours on the business end of a morse key in the back of a land rover it was interesting to note the technique used by the air observer. Seems he had half of his office attached to the side of the aircraft which is something I had not seen before. Noted the 'brass' getting their mug shots on film for posterity! Interesting to note the residue of the charge bag/frame (or whatever it was called in those days) exiting the barrel after the projectile. I believe that was a 9.2inch in action as well which was a bonus including the cleaning regime. Good use for a sandbag I suppose! Back to the 12in., no doubt the rolling stock was well anchored as there was no noticeable movement during the firing cycle. Rod

[ghchurcher]

The 12 inch Railway Howitzer's railway mounting had two possible positions, one position where the railway mounting was fully raised up in the ' travelling position ', and secondly, the ' firing position ' where the railway mounting was fully lowered so that the steel frame of the railway mounting rested firmly on the ground, which in conjunction with the jacks, timber beams or steel cables, gave the Howitzer stability during firing.

In the attached photograph of a 12 inch Railway Howitzer Mk III, being inspected by the Maharaja of Patiala, we can see the railway mounting fully lowered to the ground in the ' firing position '.

The photograph was taken outside the village of Borre, just to the east of Hazebrouck in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of Northern France on 20th August, 1918.

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

That's a wonderful picture of two Indian Army Staff Officers !

[Lancashire Fusilier]

That's a wonderful picture of two Indian Army Staff Officers !

Geoffrey,

The Officer far left nearest the camera in that photograph, is Bhupinder Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala. He served on the General Staff during WW1 as an Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel, and was promoted to Major-General in 1918.

He also had an extensive and impressive list of awards and decorations :-

British

• Delhi Durbar Gold Medal – 1903
• Delhi Durbar Gold Medal – 1911
• King George V Coronation Medal – 1911
• Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE) – 1911
• 1914 Star
• British War Medal – 1918
• Victory Medal – 1918
• Mentioned in Despatches – 1919
• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) – 1918
• Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India (GCSI) – for war services, New Year Honours 1921
• Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) – 1922
• King George V Silver Jubilee Medal – 1935
• King George VI Coronation Medal – 1937

Foreign

• Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Italy – 1918
• Grand Cordon of the Order of the Nile of Egypt – 1918
• Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold of Belgium – 1918
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Romania – 1922
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer of Greece – 1926
• Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III of Spain – 1928
• Grand Cross of the Order of the White Lion of Czechoslovakia – 1930
• Grand Cross of the Legion d'Honneur of France – 1930 (Grand Officer – 1918)
• Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus of Italy – 1935
• Grand Cross of the Order of St Gregory the Great of the Vatican – 1935
• Grand Cross of the Order of Dannebrog of Denmark

Attached are two additional photographs taken that day during his inspection of the 12 inch Railway Howitzer Mk III.

Regards,

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

2

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Lieutenant-Colonel Bhupinder Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala ( centre ), and his Staff.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Seen here securing a 12 inch Railway Howitzer Mk V, named ' Peeping Tom ', are the 1 inch steel cables known as ' Holdfasts ', which were required to be attached to 16 x 16 inch x 12 foot timber beams buried 6 feet below the surface of the ground.

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

As was common with WW1 Tanks, some 12 inch Railway Howitzers were also given names, here we see a Mk I 12 inch Railway Howitzer named ' Hilda '.

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

From the Imperial War Museum's model collection, a fine scale model diorama of a 12 inch Railway Howitzer Mk V in action.

This particular painted scale model with model figures, was originally the metal scale model of the 12 inch Railway Howitzer Mk V made by workers at the Armstrong Whitworth & Co. Ltd., Elswick, Newcastle factory shown in post # 2781, and in 1921 a Mr. H. H. Cawood painted and converted that original scale model into the current 12 inch Railway Howitzer Mk V diorama.

Here are both the original scale model, and the 1921 conversion.

LF

IWM These images is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

A Gunner, cleaning 12 inch Howitzer Shells in preparation for firing.

The Imperial War Museum reports that during WW1, 255,000 12 inch Howitzer Shells were despatched from Britain to the Western Front, of which, 227,000 were fired.

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

As was often the case, a Gunner is seen chalking a message on a 12 inch Railway Howitzer Shell, the message being intended for the German recipients.

LF

IWM These images is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Some photographs showing the enormous scale of shell production in Britain post 1915.

LF

IWM These images are reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

2

[Lancashire Fusilier]

With reference to the photograph on the left, showing the ' Crane Girls ', who operated the factory's overhead crane system used to move shells around the factory.

IWM These images are reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

5

[GRANVILLE]

As was often the case, a Gunner is seen chalking a message on a 12 inch Railway Howitzer Shell, the message being intended for the German recipients.

LF

IWM These images is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Have you noticed what look like some more of those wooden frames - presumably with fine mesh tacked to them?

David

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Have you noticed what look like some more of those wooden frames - presumably with fine mesh tacked to them?

David

David,

I had not noticed those mesh frames, which would have been located along with the shells at the Howitzer's emplacement. The wooden frame in the top left of the photograph clearly shows the metal mesh used, with those wooden frames/screens presumably being placed around the Railway Howitzer to catch any flying debris coming from or around the Howitzer's railway mount during firing.

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

An interesting photograph of a 12 inch Railway Howitzer Mk I, in the ' Firing Position ' with the railway mount lowered and the jacks deployed, and what looks like a large circular wooden beam inserted into the Howitzer's barrel, with the end of that wooden beam tied to the railway mount. This is the only photograph I have seen with this being done, does anyone know the purpose for this beam being inserted into the barrel ?

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[GRANVILLE]

Can you produce a enlargement of the end of whatever is in the barrel, in particular the way the rope is attached to it?

David

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Can you produce a enlargement of the end of whatever is in the barrel, in particular the way the rope is attached to it?

David

David,

Here is an enlargement of that barrel insert, and also another photograph of that same 12 inch Railway Howitzer Mk I without the barrel insert.

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

That same Mk I Railway Howitzer, shown without the barrel insert.

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[GRANVILLE]

It's a fascinating photo for sure. To protect the barrel, little more than a canvas sock would be required, so quite what is going on here is beyond me. The 'rope' securing it is also an intrigue because of the complexity of the arrangement hence asking if you could enlarge it. To me it almost looks as if it could be wire with a hand cranked ratchet to tighten it up?

David

[Lancashire Fusilier]

In 1847, William Armstrong opened a small factory making cranes, it quickly expanded into armament production and shipbuilding. During WW1, Armstrong-Whitworth's headquarters stretched more than a mile along the banks of the River Tyne.

Throughout WW1, Armstrong Whitworth's Elswick Works produced a huge quantity of munitions including ships, guns and shells and by 1918, the company employed 78,000 people, 60,000 of them on the Tyne.

This photograph shows the Heavy Gun Machine Shop at Elswick, where the barrels for the 12 inch Railway Howitzer were manufactured.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The Gun Boring and Turning Shops at Armstrong Whitworth's Elswick Factory.

LF

These images are reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The Gun Boring and Turning Shops at Armstrong Whitworth's Elswick Factory.

LF

These images are reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Two photographs of a newly manufactured 12 inch Railway Howitzer Mk V leaving the Armstrong Whitworth factory at Elswick, this being one of the 81 produced at Elswick.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

A newly manufactured 12 inch Railway Howitzer Mk V being tested at the Armstrong Whitworth factory at Elswick, this being one of the 81 12 inch Railway Howitzer's ( Mk 1 - V ) produced at Elswick.

This photograph of the Howitzer in the ' Firing Position ' with its jacks deployed, also clearly shows the Mk V's newly designed firing platform.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.