Lancashire Fusilier Posted 1 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 1 December , 2014 Wishing you all A very Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year. Regards, 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRANVILLE Posted 1 December , 2014 Share Posted 1 December , 2014 Likewise from me and a big thanks for keeping this thread running so well throughout the year. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyH Posted 1 December , 2014 Share Posted 1 December , 2014 Lancs, My first Christmas card! Best wishes, Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 2 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2014 Likewise from me and a big thanks for keeping this thread running so well throughout the year. David David, Many thanks for your comments and the excellent Christmas Card. Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 2 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2014 Lancs, My first Christmas card! Best wishes, Mike. Mike, Many thanks. Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wigwhammer Posted 2 December , 2014 Share Posted 2 December , 2014 Hi LF! Does the christmas card mean you'll be incommunicado for the rest of the year? If so, have a great break and enjoy yourself. This thread has been a terrific read, packed with interest and it'd be brilliant if it continues for a good long time to come - it's an infinite subject. Cheers Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 2 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2014 Hi LF! Does the christmas card mean you'll be incommunicado for the rest of the year? If so, have a great break and enjoy yourself. This thread has been a terrific read, packed with interest and it'd be brilliant if it continues for a good long time to come - it's an infinite subject. Cheers Colin Colin, Many thanks for the comments, and I am pleased to hear that you are enjoying this Thread. No, the Christmas Card was just my personal Christmas greeting to those sharing this Thread, and I shall be continuing with the Thread which allows me to share my interest in WW1 photographs with others, who hopefully also find them interesting. Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 2 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2014 To complete my presentation of the 12 inch Railway Howitzer, I shall be posting what I personally consider to be some of the best photographs of a 12 inch Railway Howitzer Mk V in action during WW1. This series of photographs, of which I shall be posting some daily for the next few days, show a Mk V 12 inch Railway Howitzer named " Bunty " belonging to the 444th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, in action near the village of Louez on 19th May, 1918. The Mk V Railway Howitzer had been well dug in, with the Howitzer's camouflage netted railway mount secured by deployed jacks, timber beams and ' Holdfast ' steel cables. The village of Louez, was located some 2 miles N.W. of Arras on the Arras to St. Pol Road in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of Northern France. The first photograph shows the Bunty's RGA Gunners, stripped to the waist, using the Howitzer's Shell Crane and Shell Grab to hoist one of the 750 lb shells up onto the Loading Tray. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 2 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2014 The 750 lb 12 inch shell has now been positioned on the Howitzer's Loading Tray, and these photographs also clearly show the much needed additional working space provided to the Gunners by the Mk V's spacious new Firing Platform. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalyback Posted 2 December , 2014 Share Posted 2 December , 2014 What did they use for ear defence? Rags in ears? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 2 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2014 What did they use for ear defence? Rags in ears? As you will shortly be seeing, either their fingers in their ears, or apparently nothing. Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalyback Posted 2 December , 2014 Share Posted 2 December , 2014 Deafness for a lot of them. Did they claim on pensions post war I wonder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 3 December , 2014 Share Posted 3 December , 2014 Is that not one of the 7th inf div cards? The same artist did one every year. I have often wonder erred who he was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRANVILLE Posted 3 December , 2014 Share Posted 3 December , 2014 Is that not one of the 7th inf div cards? The same artist did one every year. I have often wonder erred who he was. David, it is, you are quite correct. I can't make out the signature in the lower left otherwise I would have given due credit. The writing is small, but I have indicated along the bottom that it is based on a 7th Division card. All I have done is take out the original message and inserted something more general for the occasion. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wigwhammer Posted 3 December , 2014 Share Posted 3 December , 2014 What rate if fire could they achieve with these 12" monsters? I think this may have been mentioned already, but I couldn't find it... And apart from those captured guns shown earlier, do you know how many were lost due to enemy action or accidental causes? Cheers Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 3 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 3 December , 2014 Here is an excellent photograph giving us superb details of the extended firing platform on the 12 inch Railway Howitzer Mk V named ' Bunty ', which provided 4 Gunners with ample space in which to work during the loading and firing process. We can clearly see the 750 lb 12 inch shell which was loaded with 83 lb 3 oz of the high explosive ' Amatol ', now on the Howitzer's Loading Tray ready to be moved into the Howitzer's open Breech. In this detailed photograph, we can see the Loading Tray on the Mk V runs on tracked wheels, and the Gunner on the far left is operating a foot brake pedal which when released, allows the Loading Tray carrying the shell to be pushed forward into the open breech. Once in the breech, the shell is then pushed home using the massive ramrod also seen lying on the firing platform. The ramrods, were normally stowed horizontally directly under the firing platform when not in use. Also, in the far right of the photograph, attached to the gun mount, is the metal name plate for the Howitzer's manufacturer, Armstrong Whitworth & Co. Ltd., Elswick, Newcastle. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 3 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 3 December , 2014 With the 12 inch Railway Howitzer Mk V fully loaded, ' Bunty ' is now prepared for firing. In this photograph, we can see the Mk V's Recoil Buffer and Recuperators which were incorporated into a single housing and mounted below the barrel, on the previous Mk I - III models, these were located on top of 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick Eggs Posted 3 December , 2014 Share Posted 3 December , 2014 Hello LF Many thanks for all the super information that has continued on this thread and I am sure more will come. May I wish you and all the pals on the Forum all the best for Christmas. Crimson Rambler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 3 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 3 December , 2014 What rate if fire could they achieve with these 12" monsters? And apart from those captured guns shown earlier, do you know how many were lost due to enemy action or accidental causes? Colin, The 12 inch Railway Howitzers had a potential rate of fire of one round per minute. 81 12 inch Howitzers Mk I - V were manufactured, as yet, I have not seen any references to how many were lost due to enemy action or accidental causes during WW1, hopefully, those figures are recorded somewhere ? Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 3 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 3 December , 2014 Hello LF Many thanks for all the super information that has continued on this thread and I am sure more will come. May I wish you and all the pals on the Forum all the best for Christmas. Crimson Rambler. Crimson Rambler, It is nice to hear from you, and many thanks for the kind comments and the Christmas Card. Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 3 December , 2014 Share Posted 3 December , 2014 Granville, I am fortunate to all of the division's cards in my small collection of GW Chritmas cards. Abroad at the moment but I will try to remember to check them when I get back and try to find the signature for you. Send me a message to reminfme! Regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRANVILLE Posted 3 December , 2014 Share Posted 3 December , 2014 Granville, I am fortunate to all of the division's cards in my small collection of GW Chritmas cards. Abroad at the moment but I will try to remember to check them when I get back and try to find the signature for you. Send me a message to reminfme! Regards David Appreciated David - reminder message sent. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 3 December , 2014 Share Posted 3 December , 2014 Did nobody warn those gunners that sunlight can be dangerous? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 4 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 4 December , 2014 One of the ' Bunty's ' RGA Gunners from the 444th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, his fingers in his ears in an attempt to reduce the deafening noise, prepares for the firing of the massive 12 inch Railway Howitzer Mk V, near the village of Louez on 19th May, 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 4 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 4 December , 2014 Opening fire, ' Bunty's ' 12 inch Howitzer hurls the 750 lb shell towards its German target. One of the RGA Gunners turns his back to the blast, whilst 2 other Gunners on the right seem almost nonchalant during the firing. Even the Gunners on the firing platform, seem little concerned by the blast and noise from the Howitzer's firing. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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