Dave G Posted 21 June , 2012 Share Posted 21 June , 2012 I'm curious to know if and how field guns were marked. That is, were they given unique numbers at a regimental or battery level and how and where were the guns so marked? I've done some cursory internet research and have also consulted my various artillery reference books, but other than camouflage painted examples, I can't seem to find photographs of numbered or regimentally marked field guns. Given that tanks and airplanes were painted with production markings and often personalized with names or various insignia, I would have thought gunners might have done something similar. I'm not referring to a maker's nomenclature plaque, but rather inventory numbers, regimental insignia, personalized insignia, etc. Any enlightenment appreciated. Best Regards, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 21 June , 2012 Share Posted 21 June , 2012 Indeed I can find no photo of British, French, Italian, American, German, Turkish or KuK artillery piece with anything other than plain paint or camouflage on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 21 June , 2012 Share Posted 21 June , 2012 I do have reports from Ordnance Workshops, Jerusalem showing that the guns and carriages they saw had individual numbers. I would add that this refers to 13 pdr guns not 18pdr guns, but I imagine a number could be found somewhere on both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 21 June , 2012 Share Posted 21 June , 2012 Again, this is a photograph of the breech/firing mechanism on a 13 pounder, not an 18 pounder, and there are markings on the breech. It looks like " 13 pounder - Mk.1 " then some other markings, a manufacture date ? and what appears to be a serial number ? LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave G Posted 21 June , 2012 Author Share Posted 21 June , 2012 Thanks for the replies. It would seem logical that there would be some kind of numbering system, if for nothing else inventory purposes. Odd, though that there wouldn't be an occasional pithy name or personalized insignia show up in photos of field guns. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 21 June , 2012 Share Posted 21 June , 2012 There seems to be no number that identifies the equipment - ie the whole artillery piece. The numbers quoted ID the Barrel (the tube and breech) and the carriage individually. However barrels and carriages could be swapped around as one or the other is removed for testing, replacement or refurbishing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 21 June , 2012 Share Posted 21 June , 2012 There seems to be no number that identifies the equipment - ie the whole artillery piece. The numbers quoted ID the Barrel (the tube and breech) and the carriage individually. However barrels and carriages could be swapped around as one or the other is removed for testing, replacement or refurbishing That sounds logical. I am not sure what would be the life of an artillery barrel, i.e. how many rounds would it take before needing repair/overhaul. However, with constant use, as in battle conditions, I am sure the barrel would need to be removed from the gun and refurbished, and may not even be replaced to that same gun. LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieBris Posted 22 June , 2012 Share Posted 22 June , 2012 Gun numbering is a huge topic - varies a lot in detail between different armies but generally every gun has a barrel and (sometimes) a carriage number which is assigned on acceptance and stays with the gun throughout its life. The Ottoman guns received before WW1 and processed through the Imperial Arsenal have an Arabic gun number and acceptance date engraved on the breech. During WW1 the guns retained their original (usually Krupp) markings or, for captured guns, the original markings. The marking schemes on 75mm Krupp export guns can be seen at: http://www.ammsbrisbane.com/home.html?L0=2&L1=4&L2=0 German guns seem to have had a carriage number and barrel number similar to the British system. I would point out that replacing a barrel on a 7.7cm Feldkanone is something that would have to occur in a well equipped workshop. The actual refurbishment of the barrels was a factory job - the 7.7cm gun had the barrel unscrewed from the breech and a new one screwed on. The 15cm howitzers had a barrel liner which could be replaced but it was a factory job to do this - the 15cm sFH13 lg could get barrel lives in excess of 20,000 shots. Some converted Naval guns had very short barrel lives - of the order of a few hundred shots. You asked about British 18 Pounders - I have some images of the breech markings on a 1906 built 18 Pounder - http://www.ammsbrisbane.com/home.html?L0=7&L1=1&L2=17 Regards, Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelfe Posted 22 June , 2012 Share Posted 22 June , 2012 UK has never given guns a 'registration' number, and still doesn't, apart from SPs which have vehicle numbers. Some armies, eg Australian, now treat guns legally as trailers and therefore have a regn number. UK gun records deal with barrel numbers and a carriage number (usually on a small data plate). However, although you don't often see them on WW1 photos, each battery letters its gun on the front of the shield if they have one) with a sub-section letter (A through D, F or H depending on the battery size). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave G Posted 22 June , 2012 Author Share Posted 22 June , 2012 Great information and very helpful, thanks gentlemen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertBr Posted 22 June , 2012 Share Posted 22 June , 2012 My Grandfathers diary for 1918 list the following: Gun 1782 Carriage C62230 Dial Sight 13300 Carrier 1778 Fold Clini (?) 4512 He was on 4.5 QFs but this and the picture of the breech block (4.5 at FirePower) is evidence for numbering. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjjobson Posted 23 June , 2012 Share Posted 23 June , 2012 My Grandfathers diary for 1918 list the following: Gun 1782 Carriage C62230 Dial Sight 13300 Carrier 1778 Fold Clini (?) 4512 He was on 4.5 QFs but this and the picture of the breech block (4.5 at FirePower) is evidence for numbering. Bob Bob That last is the Field Clino (Clinometer) Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 23 June , 2012 Share Posted 23 June , 2012 Phil That last one is most likely the sight clino(for putting on the nangle of sight) John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 23 June , 2012 Share Posted 23 June , 2012 This is the Breech of 13 pr Nery Gun at the IWM note the Serial No. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 23 June , 2012 Share Posted 23 June , 2012 60 pounder gun in action at Helles, Gallipoli, named 'ANNIE' http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/60_pounder_Cape_Helles_June_1915.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertBr Posted 24 June , 2012 Share Posted 24 June , 2012 Phil/John Thanks for the suggestions re 'Fold Clini'. I thought it would be 'Field Clinometer ' before I posted but reading my Grandfathers faded handwriting is not always easy. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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