5 inch BL Ordnance in RSA, India and Aden

[Holger Kotthaus]

Good day all,

I am speciall intersted about two 5 inch BL Guns which have been used in Aden and Perim durin the Great War.

Major Darrell Hall explained the action of these guns in South Africa 1899-1902 here:

http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol023dh.html

And this page identify 18 Guns of this type with 5,480 rounds which was fired in this war:

http://www.angloboerwar.com/other-information/16-other-information/1866-british-artillery

Here I found some details about the 5 inch/12,7-cm Armstrong barell,

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=4039824&I=1&SE=1

photos from the original carriage. . .

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:South_Africa-Ladysmith-RML_6.3_inch_Howitzer-01.jpg

. . . and the only two survived guns:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BL_5_inch_gun_Union_Buildings_Pretoria_right_side.jpg

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BL_5_inch_gun_Union_Buildings_Pretoria_right_side_2.jpg

(Thanks to KONDOA)

I only know that 2nd Lieutenant Steirn left Bombay with SS „MALDA"on the 1st July 1915 with 25 men of his

gun crew and arrived Aden on the 11. July 1915. In December 1915 they were transfered to the island Perim.

My questions:

Is there any information from which (Indian?) unit Lieutenant Steirn and his

crew arise, and what happened with these guns, when they left Aden / Perim

in June 1916? Maybee someone know how many guns exists at this time?

Many thanks in advance

Holger

[bushfighter]

Holger

Happy New Year

Have a look at: http://www.perimisland.com/

especially the page: ARMY ON PERIM ISLAND WWI (click on PERIM DEFENCE first).

Harry

[Holger Kotthaus]

Holger

Happy New Year

Have a look at: http://www.perimisland.com/

especially the page: ARMY ON PERIM ISLAND WWI (click on PERIM DEFENCE first).

Harry

Dear Harry,

I wish you the same and many thanks for your response.

Yes, Peter Pickering make a good job with his Aden Forum and he gives a lot background info.

I am a lucky man. Yust yesterday I received some photos casual about this theatere of war,

with photos about the two guns of Lieutenant Steirns 5 inch battery section in Aden in 1917.

[Holger Kotthaus]

So one of my question is answered with the photos: The guns are in action in Aden up to 1917.

Attached is a Turkish detail map of the British counter attack on the 21st July 1915 starting from

Aden towards Sheikh Othman. By this actions the two 5 inch guns must have been used the first time.

The background of my interest is, because I write in a German Forum about the

period of the Great War in Aden / Yemen. http://forum.panzer-archiv.de/viewtopic.php?t=9754&start=30

I would be very happy about any kind of information about the 5 inch BL guns.

Holger