QF 2.95-inch mountain gun

QF 2.95-inch mountain gun
QF 2.95-inch mountain gun
	British QF 2.95-inch mountain gun, Cameroons and Togoland campaign, WWI
Type	Mountain gun
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1897 – World War II
Used by	British Empire; United States; • Philippines
Wars	World War I, World War II
Production history
Manufacturer	Vickers
Specifications
Mass	236 lb (107 kg) gun; 830 lb (380 kg) total
Barrel length	31.6 in (800 mm) bore;; 35.85 in (0.911 m) total
Width	32 in (810 mm)
Height	26 in (660 mm), barrel axis; 36 inches, wheel
Shell	Fixed QF round.; 12.5 lb Common shell;; 18 lb Double common shell;; 12.5 lb Shrapnel
Calibre	75 mm (2.95 in)
Recoil	14 in (360 mm); short recoil hydro-spring
Carriage	Wheeled, box trail, assembly
Elevation	-10° - 27°
Traverse	0°
Rate of fire	14 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity	920 ft/s (280 m/s)
Maximum firing range	4,825 yd (4,412 m)

The QF 2.95-inch mountain gun was the designation given by the British to a Vickers 75 mm calibre gun. It was originally produced for the Egyptian Army. It was taken into British service in the late 19th century to provide the 'movable armament' at some coaling stations. Also known as "The Millimetre Gun",^[4] it was used by the West African Frontier Force in several theatres in Africa during World War I. It was also used by the United States and the Commonwealth of the Philippines.

Service history

The weapon could be broken down and carried by 4 horses or mules, or in British use in Africa by men. According to the U.S. patent 742973A, the separable gun-carriage was designed by Trevor Dawson and George Thomas Buckham.

British service

The weapon was not adopted by the British Army or the Indian Army, which used the BL 10 pounder Mountain Gun and later the BL 2.75-inch Mountain Gun, but it was used from 1900 by the defence forces of some British African colonies as part of the Royal West African Frontier Force (WAFF). The officers and most NCOs were British, and the gunners, gun carriers and some NCOs were African. As part of the British Empire these units became part of the British war effort in World War I.

Thirty guns were originally supplied to West Africa (Sierra Leone, Gold Coast and Nigeria).^[5] Guns involved in the West Africa campaign were used by the Sierra Leone Company Royal Garrison Artillery (6 guns), Gold Coast Battery WAFF (6 guns), 1st and 2nd Nigerian Battery WAFF (6 guns each).^[6]

The guns seem to have been fielded in small numbers as stockade breakers during the War of the Golden Stool, as The Ashanti Campaign of 1900 mentions their presence and details their correct tactical usage as follows: "Vickers, Sons, & Maxim's 75-millimetre mountain gun will breach any stockade in from three to six rounds; it is therefore most essential for this gun to be kept well up in front, and as soon as the scouts have located a frontal stockade, the gun should be mounted, run up to the front, and take up a position where either the top or bottom of the stockade can be seen. While fire is being opened with the gun, a company should be deployed to either flank, to a sufficient depth in the bush to outflank the ends of the stockade."^[7]

Guns of the Gold Coast Battery fired the first British Empire artillery rounds of World War I, in the attack on Khra in Togoland on 22 August 1914.^[8]

The gun was also used in the East Africa campaign, originally a section of the Gold Coast Battery, and from December 1916 the 1st Nigerian Battery.^[9]

In one action, Corporal Awudo Kano and five Nigerian gunners stayed by their gun during the British attack near Melong in Kamerun, 4 March 1915. Their officer was wounded and the infantry forced to retire, but though isolated they refused to abandon the officer or their guns, and continued firing until relieved.^[10]

US service

The US purchased 12 guns in 1899 and used them in the Philippine–American War (otherwise known as the Philippine Insurrection). By 30 June 1904 another 120 guns were purchased. Carriages and pack saddles were manufactured at Watertown and Rock Island.

When Brigadier General John Pershing entered Mexico in March 1916 in pursuit of the Mexican revolutionary and bandit, Francisco “Pancho” Villa, two field artillery batteries consisting of eight 2.95-inch howitzers were among his forces ^[11]

It was also used in World War II by US and Philippine forces defending against the Japanese invasion.^[1] Approximately 50 were issued to the Filipino Army artillery regiments. The US Army Philippine Division had one battalion of the 23rd Artillery (Philippine Scouts) equipped with the 2.95 in mountain gun.^[12]^[13]

Ammunition

British ammunition

The British "Treatise on Ammunition" of 1915 stated that available rounds were Shrapnel (203 bullets), Case shot (330 bullets), Star shell and the Double common shell of 18 lb (exploding charge of 14 oz "P" mixture – gunpowder).^[14]


British Double Common round	British Shrapnel round	No. 65A Fuze

US ammunition

According to the US manual of 1916 the 18 lb (8.2 kg) "Double explosive" shell was no longer in US use.


US Cartridge case	US HE shells	US Shrapnel shell

Gallery

Front view of British example on display at US Army Ordnance Museum
Side view of British example on display at US Army Ordnance Museum
gun & carriage diagram
transportation of gun barrel by mule in US use
Illustration from Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary

Surviving examples

A British example is on display at US Army Ordnance Museum, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, USA^[15]
HM Royal Armouries Fort Nelson, Fareham, Hampshire, UK^[16]
At the Military Museum in Bogota, Colombia
U.S. Army Artillery Museum, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, USA

Notes and references

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Hogg & Thurston 1972, page 46
^ 14 rounds per minute is the figure given by Vickers. Quoted in Brassey's Naval Annual 1901
^ Clarke 2004
^ Headlam 1934, page 104
^ Farndale 1988, page 293
^ Farndale 1988, page 291
^ Sir Cecil Hamilton Armitage, Arthur Forbes Montanaro (1901). The Ashanti Campaign of 1900. unknown library. Sands & Co.
^ Farndale 1988, page 290
^ Farndale 1988, page 338-339
^ Farndale 1988, page 299
^ https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/GWOT_4.pdf
^ The Fall of the Philippines – U. S. Army in World War II, p. 21.
^ Stanton, Shelby L. (1991). World War II Order of Battle. New York: Galahad Books. pp. 186–187, 371. ISBN 978-0-88365-775-1.
^ Treatise on Ammunition. 10th Edition, 1915. War Office, UK. Page 415-419
^ "Army Ordnance Museum". Ordmusfound.org. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
^ "Palmerston Forts Society the 2.95QF Mountain Gun". Archived from the original on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 12 July 2008.

Bibliography

Dale Clarke, British Artillery 1914–1919. Field Army Artillery. Osprey Publishing, Oxford UK, 2004] ISBN 978-1-84176-688-1
Major-General Sir John Headlam, The History of the Royal Artillery : From the Indian Mutiny to the Great War, Volume II (1899–1914). Woolwich [England] : Royal Artillery Institution, 1937. Facsimile reprint by Naval and Military Press 2004. ISBN 978-1-84574-043-6
General Sir Martin Farndale, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery : Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base 1914–18. London: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988. ISBN 978-1-870114-05-9
I.V. Hogg & L.F. Thurston, British Artillery Weapons & Ammunition 1914–1918. London: Ian Allan, 1972. ISBN 978-0-7110-0381-1
US Army Ordnance Dept, Handbook of the 2.95-inch Mountain Gun Matériel and Pack Outfit. 1912, updated 1916
Louis Morton, "The Fall of the Philippines". United States Army Center of Military History, 1953. ISBN 978-1-410216960

External links

Handbook for the 2.95inch q.f. mountain gun, mark I mule equipment. 1906 from State Library of Victoria
1908 (provisional) Drill Regulations for mountain Artillery US Army Manual provided online by University of California and www.archive.org
2.95-Inch Vickers-Maxim Mountain Gun Matériel. in https://archive.org/details/handbookofartill00unitrich" Handbook of Artillery : including mobile, anti-aircraft and trench matériel (1920)"] United States. Army. Ordnance Dept May 1920. provided online by University of California and www.archive.org
Diagram, photographs, video & data at Victorian Forts and Artillery website
photo of a 2.95-inch shell casing at big-ordnance.com

[Hogg&Thurston1972page46-1] Hogg & Thurston 1972, page 46

[2] 14 rounds per minute is the figure given by Vickers. Quoted in Brassey's Naval Annual 1901

[Clarke-3] Clarke 2004

[4] Headlam 1934, page 104

[5] Farndale 1988, page 293

[6] Farndale 1988, page 291

[7] Sir Cecil Hamilton Armitage, Arthur Forbes Montanaro (1901). The Ashanti Campaign of 1900. unknown library. Sands & Co.

[8] Farndale 1988, page 290

[9] Farndale 1988, page 338-339

[10] Farndale 1988, page 299

[11] ttps://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/GWOT_4.pdf

[12] The Fall of the Philippines – U. S. Army in World War II, p. 21.

[13] Stanton, Shelby L. (1991). World War II Order of Battle. New York: Galahad Books. pp. 186–187, 371. ISBN 978-0-88365-775-1.

[14] Treatise on Ammunition. 10th Edition, 1915. War Office, UK. Page 415-419

[15] "Army Ordnance Museum". Ordmusfound.org. Retrieved 3 June 2014.

[16] "Palmerston Forts Society the 2.95QF Mountain Gun". Archived from the original on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 12 July 2008.

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v t e British Empire artillery of the First World War
Armoured vehicle guns	QF 3-pounder Vickers QF 6-pounder Hotchkiss QF 6-pounder 6 cwt
Infantry guns	1.59-inch breech-loading Vickers Q.F. gun, Mk II
Field artillery	BL 12-pounder 6 cwt QF 12-pounder 8 cwt QF 12-pounder 18 cwt QF 13-pounder BL 15-pounder BLC 15-pounder QF 15-pounder QF 18-pounder QF 4-inch gun Mk III BL 4-inch gun Mk VII QF 4.5-inch howitzer
Medium & heavy artillery	QF 4.7-inch gun BL 5-inch howitzer BL 5.4-inch howitzer BL 60-pounder gun BLC 6-inch siege gun BL 6-inch gun Mk VII BL 6-inch gun Mk XIX BL 6-inch 26 cwt howitzer BL 6-inch 30 cwt howitzer BL 8-inch howitzer Mk I – V BL 8-inch howitzer Mk VI – VIII
Siege artillery	BL 7.5-inch Mk III naval gun BL 9.2-inch howitzer BL 9.2-inch Mk X naval gun BL 12-inch howitzer BL 12-inch Mk X naval gun BL 15-inch howitzer
Mountain artillery	RML 2.5-inch mountain gun BL 10-pounder mountain gun BL 2.75-inch mountain gun QF 2.95-inch mountain gun QF 3.7-inch mountain howitzer
Mortars	Garland trench mortar 3-inch Stokes mortar Vickers 1.57-inch mortar 2-inch medium mortar Newton 6-inch mortar 9.45-inch Heavy Mortar
Smoke and chemical weapons	4-inch Stokes Mortar Livens Projector Livens Large Gallery Flame Projector
Anti-aircraft guns	QF 1-pounder pom-pom QF 2-pounder "pom-pom" Mk II 75 mm AA gun QF 12-pounder 12 cwt QF 13-pounder 6 cwt QF 13-pounder Mk IV QF 13-pounder 9 cwt QF 3-inch 20 cwt QF 18-pounder QF 4-inch Mk V
Coastal artillery	QF 12-pounder 12 cwt QF 4-inch naval gun Mk I – III BL 6-inch Mk VII naval gun BL 9.2-inch Mk IX – X naval gun RML 9-inch
Railway guns	BL 9.2-inch railway gun BL 12-inch railway gun BL 12-inch railway howitzer BL 14-inch railway gun

v t e United States artillery of World War I
Tank guns	Puteaux SA 18 QF 6-pounder 6 cwt Hotchkiss
Small and pack guns	Canon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP 37 mm Infantry Gun Model 1917 QF 2.95-inch mountain gun
Field, medium and heavy guns	3-inch M1902 field gun 75 mm gun M1897 75 mm gun M1916 75 mm gun M1917 3.2-inch gun M1897 4.7-inch gun M1906 5-inch gun M1897 6-inch howitzer M1908 6-inch gun M1903 6-inch gun M1917 155 mm GPF M1918 155 mm howitzer M1917 BL 8-inch howitzer Mk VI – VIII BL 9.2-inch howitzer 240 mm trench mortar
Anti-aircraft guns	75 mm gun M1897 75 mm gun M1916 3-inch gun M1917 3-inch gun M1918
Coast artillery guns	3-inch gun M1903 4.72-inch Armstrong gun 5-inch gun M1897 6-inch Armstrong gun 6-inch gun M1897 8-inch gun M1888 10-inch gun M1895 12-inch gun M1895 12-inch coast defense mortar 14-inch gun M1907 16-inch gun M1895 16-inch gun M1919 155 mm gun M1918MI
Railway artillery	7"/45 caliber gun 8-inch gun M1888 10-inch gun M1895 12-inch coast defense mortar 12-inch gun M1895MIA1 14"/50 caliber railway gun