WW1 Military Motors - 1916 set x 50 cards

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Bringing the 4.7 inch Field Gun ashore at Watson's Pier, ANZAC Cove, Gallipoli in July 1915.

LF

Australian War Memorial. 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 the British Elswick Ordnance made ' Gallipoli ' 4.7 inch Field Gun still mounted on it's Second Boer War wooden ' Percy Scott ' gun carriage and having been landed at Watson's Pier, is being covered with Army greatcoats in an attempt to camouflage the gun before the gun is moved inland.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

2

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The British 4.7 inch Field Gun, which may have been used a Ladysmith during the Second Boer War, arrived at Gallipoli on 11th July 1915, along with 2 x 6 inch 30 cwt Howitzers. These guns were to form Gallipoli's Heavy Battery, which was originally manned by a joint force of British Royal Marines and Australian Gunners from the Royal Australian Field Artillery. Subsequently, the Royal Marines were withdrawn and replaced by Australians, who were commanded by Major Charles George Miles, of the Royal Australian Field Artillery.

Following the guns arrival at Watson's Pier in ANZAC Cove, they were arduously man-handled from the beach to higher ground initially near Dawkin's Point, and then on 17th July, they were moved to a new Heavy Battery emplacement which had been constructed above Clarke's Valley.

The Gallipoli Heavy Battery's first four rounds were fired at 6.10 pm on 26 July, 1915.

Attached are a series of photographs showing the hefty 2 ton plus 4.7 inch Field Gun's journey from the beach at ANZAC Cove, up to higher ground at Dawkin's Point.

LF

AWM 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]

2.

Australian War Memorial. 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]

3.

AWM 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.

[David Filsell]

The 4.7 was essential a great big field gun. I would have thought its value at Gallipoli, hilly, ravined, would have made the weapon of even less value than it was in France and Flanders.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The 4.7 was essential a great big field gun. I would have thought its value at Gallipoli, hilly, ravined, would have made the weapon of even less value than it was in France and Flanders.

David,

The powers that be on Gallipoli made an urgent specific request for long range guns to deal with Turkish targets which were outside the range of their existing artillery, and although they originally requested 2 x 4.7 inch guns, only one was provided along with 2 x 6 inch 30 cwt Howitzers.

Obviously, they had specific Turkish targets in mind, and presumably chose the 4.7's emplacement above Clarke's Valley to deal with those Turkish targets, whatever and wherever they were.

The Turks also had large Naval Guns on Gallipoli, including a massive 9.4 Naval Gun, which fortunately was able to be destroyed by the British naval bombardment prior to the Galipoli landings.

Here is a photograph of British soldiers examining the Turkish 9.4 inch coastal defence gun on Fort I ( on 'V' Beach, Cape Helles ) dismounted by a direct hit, believed to have been fired from Y Turret of HMS Queen Elizabeth on 25th February 1915. In the background is Hill 141.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Following the much hard work needed in man-handling the 4.7 inch Field Gun from the beach at ANZAC Cove to it's final resting place in the new Heavy Battery emplacement above Clarke's Valley on 17th July, 1915 , the 4.7 inch Field Gun fired it's first rounds at Turkish targets at 6.10 pm on 26 July, 1915.

Attached is a photograph of the 4.7 inch Field Gun in it's position at the Heavy Battery emplacement above Clarke's Valley, where it remained until the gun was deliberately destroyed by detonating an explosive charge placed in the 4.7's barrel prior to the British and ANZAC withdrawal from Gallipoli, thereby preventing an operational 4.7 inch gun falling into Turkish hands.

This photograph shows good details of the interior of the 4.7's emplacement, and also the substantial construction of the gun's wooden ' Percy Scott ' gun carriage.

LF

AWM 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]

Here are 2 photographs of the two 6 inch 30 cwt Howitzers, which along with the 4.7 inch Field Gun formed the Heavy Battery at Clarke's Valley.

LF

AWM 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.

[David Filsell]

L:F

A splendid selection of rare pictures - the gun is a story in itself. Do you know which unit operated it? (is there a war diary ) or is it known how well, or I suspect badly, it performed? It would be fascinating to find out how many rounds it fired The other thing that occurs to is, that being a naval gun tube, the RN have been able to supply the ammunition and fuses for itI If not where did they come from - Britain, South Africa?

David

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Here are 2 photographs of the two 6 inch 30 cwt Howitzers, which along with the 4.7 inch Field Gun formed the Heavy Battery at Clarke's Valley.

LF

AWM 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]

Do you know which unit operated it?

David,

Apart from knowing that the 4.7 inch Field Gun on Gallipoli was operated by the Heavy Battery, 1 Australian Division, commanded by Major Charles George Miles, Royal Australian Field Artillery, I have no other information on the guns operation as yet. Hopefully, others with knowledge of Gallipoli or the 1 Australian Division, RAFA., will supply the answers.

Originally the Battery was manned jointly by British Royal Marines and Australians, however, subsequently the British Royal Marines were withdrawn.

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Do you know which unit operated it? (is there a war diary ) or is it known how well, or I suspect badly, it performed? It would be fascinating to find out how many rounds it fired The other thing that occurs to is, that being a naval gun tube, the RN have been able to supply the ammunition and fuses for itI If not where did they come from - Britain, South Africa?

David,

The ' Gallipoli ' 4.7 inch Field Gun went into action for the first time at 6.10 pm on 26th July, 1915 and was destroyed at 3 pm on 15th December, 1915, making it operational for some 142 days.

As the 4.7 was shipped from South Africa where it had previously seen action during the Second Boer War, 13 plus years earlier, I assume that along with the 4.7 Field Gun, adequate quantities of ammunition etc., needed for the gun, were also shipped from South Africa to Gallipoli.

Regards,

LF

[David Filsell]

LF,

As ever thanks. I wonder From whom would in Oz one would seek a copy of the battery' or brigade war war diary?

David

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

LF,

As ever thanks. I wonder From whom would in Oz one would seek a copy of the battery' or brigade war war diary?

David

Would they be in the Australian War Memorial site?

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/AWM4/13/

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Another nice photograph of the ' Gallipoli ' 4.7 inch Field Gun in it's Firing Pit, which is darkened by a tarpaulin having been placed over the front of the Firing Pit, leaving just the gun's barrel protruding through the tarpaulin.

LF

AWM 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 very interesting photograph showing the well camouflaged location of the 4.7 inch Field Gun's Firing Pit at the gun's emplacement overlooking Clarke's Valley, from where the 4.7 remained in action until it was destroyed on December 15th, 1915.

An arrow marks the trail end of the gun's carriage, and shows the gun's orientation matching that shown in post #3333.

LF

AWM 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 Destruction of the ' Gallipoli ' 4.7 inch Field Gun

Following the order to withdraw from Gallipoli, and being unable to easily remove the 4.7 inch Field Gun from it's emplacement at Clarke's Valley, it was decided that in order not to have an operational 4.7 inch gun fall into Turkish hands, that the gun would be destroyed.

The destruction method chosen, was to detonate an explosive charge in the gun's barrel and rupture the barrel. The 4.7 inch gun's destruction was undertaken by members of the Australian 2nd Field Company Engineers supervised by Major Leslie Francis Mather.

The explosive charge, which had been placed in the 4.7 inch gun's barrel, was detonated at 3pm on 15 December 1915 in anticipation of the evacuation from the ANZAC area. The explosion inside the gun's barrel resulted in a large section of the barrel being blown off, rendering the gun useless to the Turks.

Following the British and ANZAC withdrawal from Gallipoli, apparently, the Turks had intended to take the 4.7's damaged barrel to Constantinople for display at their War Museum, but had abandoned the task, leaving the damaged 4.7 barrel by the side of the Koja Dere road, just outside the village of Koja Dere.

At the end of WW1, the Australians returned to Gallipoli, and the 4.7's damaged gun barrel was discovered still by the Koja Dere road by Lieutenant Cyril Emerson Hughes, who was working with the Imperial War Graves Commission. He later showed it to members of the Australian Historical Mission to Gallipoli.

Lieutenant Hughes and the Mission members decided then and there that the 4.7's barrel would be returned to Australia, and that it should go to an Australian museum. The 4.7 gun's damaged barrel arrived back in Australia in 1922.

The ' Gallipoli ' 4.7 inch Field Gun's damaged barrel is now permanently on display at the Australian War Memorial.

Attached are a series of photographs documenting the 4.7 inch Field Gun's destruction, and it's journey back to Australia.

The first photograph taken just before 3 pm on December 15, 1915 shows the 4.7 inch Field Gun's barrel with the explosive charge inside, just before the charge exploded in the gun's barrel.

LF

Australian War Memorial - 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]

Photograph showing the damage caused to the ' Gallipoli ' 4.7 inch Field Gun's barrel by the explosive charge detonating in the barrel.

LF

AWM 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]

Major Leslie Francis Mather of the Australian 2nd Field Company Engineers, who had supervised the destruction of the ' Gallipoli ' 4.7 inch Field Gun, photographd in the 4.7's Firing Pit standing beside the destroyed gun.

LF

AWM 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]

Two photographs showing the damaged ' Gallipoli ' 4.7 inch Field Gun in it's Firing Pit at the Clarke's Valley emplacement.

We can see the damage caused to the gun by the explosive charge exploding in the gun's barrel, also of note is the substantial and hardy construction of the solid timber ' Percy Scott ' gun carriage.

LF

AWM 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]

2.

AWM 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 Turkish photograph and a German picture postcard showing the ' Gallipoli ' 4.7 inch Field Gun's ruptured barrel after it had been removed from the gun's emplacement at Clarke's Valley, presumably on it's intended journey to the Turkish War Museum in Constantinople.

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]

German picture postcard showing the ' Gallipoli ' 4.7 inch Field Gun's ruptured barrel after it had been removed from the gun's emplacement at Clarke's Valley, presumably on it's intended journey to the Turkish War Museum in Constantinople.

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.