Guest Simon Bull Posted 19 January , 2004 Share Posted 19 January , 2004 Forgive me showing my total ignorance on matters relating to artillery, but what distinguished a "Siege" Battery from other artillery batteries? I realise, as a matter of common sense, that they presumably fired bigger guns than the other batteries, but I am not clear as to exactly what their function was, as compared to other batteries, nor do I know exactly what sort of guns they would have been given to perform that function. Simon Bull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 19 January , 2004 Share Posted 19 January , 2004 I am not clear as to exactly what their function was, as compared to other batteries Simon This is a quote from 'With a Siege Battery in France': 'Mobile heavy artillery was intended to be used against forts containing guns in position (hence 'siege'), and its use for this purpose was so deadly that the fort, as such, became obsolete within a fortnight (of the start of the war). During the first year of the war, heavy artillery as a general rule confined its operations to shooting at infantry strong points, trenches, wire entanglements, roads, buildings, and places in the enemy's forward areas. It was only in later years that heavy artillery took to shooting at the enemy's heavy artillery (counter-battery fire). The description of "artillery duels" in the early days meant that heavy artillery shot at our infantry, and our artillery shot at the enemy's infantry... The tendency has been, ever since those days, for heavy artillery to come nearer and nearer to the line in trench warfare, and to engage targets further and further behind the enemy lines, so much so that of late years our targets have been almost exclusively enemy batteries and back areas.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 19 January , 2004 Share Posted 19 January , 2004 Simon Siege batteries of the RGA could be equipped with 6", 8", 9.2" and 12" Howitzers. Also 6" guns, 9.2" guns on railway mountings, 12" Howtizers on railway mountings and 14" guns on railway mountings. Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steve Seaman Posted 20 January , 2004 Share Posted 20 January , 2004 Hi Simon, 'Occasional Gunfire' the private war diary of a siege gunner bt A W Paton is an excellent book on the subject. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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