What guns?

[old sparky]

I have a Cpl(sic)in 'A' Bat, 282nd Brigade RFA. Can anyone tell me what guns the battery would have been equipped with? Were all RFA using the iconic horse/limber/gun combination or were there larger outfits (Medium Batteries?)?.

Regards

Peter B

[squirrel]

RFA would have been equipped with the 18 pounder field gun or 4.5" howitzer.

[old sparky]

Thank you Squirrel. I assume that the 4.5 howitzer was a very different beast to the 18pdr and a lot less easy to move. Would this make it more static and hence more vulnerable to counter bombardment?

Regards

Peter B

[paulgranger]

If these links work http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QF_4.5-inch_howitzer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordnance_QF_18-pounder , you can see the difference between the two weapons. The 4.5 how weighed about a ton-and-a-half, the 18pdr about a ton, and both were hauled by 6-horse teams. Though heavier, it's not necessarily the case that the 4.5 was more static, but a bit more of a lump to push about.

[jay dubaya]

'D' battery was always the Howitzer Battery

Jon

[old sparky]

Thanks a lot gentlemen. I am guilty of not doing the obvious searches before asking for help for which I apologize profusely. There is, of course, a wealth of information on the net not only about the weapon itself but of it's deployment. If only I had 'googled'. I'll try and do better in future but thanks anyway for indulging an 'idle researcher'.

Best regards

Peter B

[paulgranger]

_{No problem!}