2 Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 2 O.V.S.A.C. Study No.8 JAN-MAR 2004 ................................................................................................................................ 3 Heavy Guns of the Royal Navy ........................................................................................................................... 13 4.7-in Naval QF on “Scott” Carriage ........................................................................................................ 13 6-in QF on Rail Carriage ...................................................................................................................................... 19 O.V.S.A.C. Study No.17 Jul-Sep 2006 .......................................................................................................... 23 A 3-pr Hotchkiss QF on a recoil-controlled embrasure mount. Note the yoke and pistol grip trigger. ...................................................................................................................................... 30 6-pr Hotchkiss QF .......................................................................................................................................................... 34 4.7-inch Naval QF Mark I to IV ...................................................................................................................... 38 O.V.S.A.C. Study No. 22 Oct-Dec 2007 .............................................................................................................................. 46 The breech mechanism of a Hotchkiss QF gun. Note the pistol grip trigger and actuation crank. ................................................................................................................................................. 52 6-pr Hotchkiss QF .......................................................................................................................................................... 57 INTRODUCTION Thank you very much MC Heunis that we could include your three Study Reports on Armoured Trains during the Anglo Boer War in this final edition of our Nongqai- trilogy on War-, Ambulance-, Hospital-, Railways Police-, SA Constabulary-, Military- and SAPS-trains. Your contribution has enhanced our knowledge on this most interesting subject – Hennie Heymans. 3 ORANJE VRIJSTAAT ART ILLERIE CORPS HISTORICAL STUDY AND RE- ENACTMENT GROUP O.V.S.A.C. STUDY NO.8 JAN-MAR 2004 MONSTER GUNS OF THE ANGLO-BOER WAR Introduction Shortly after the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War British forces in South Africa realised they were fighting an enemy with better and heavier guns than their own. As it would be several weeks before the heavy ordnance of the Royal Garrison Artillery “Siege Train” could arrive from England, drastic measures had to be taken to get heavy guns into the field. This precarious position, combined with the threat that the four forts around Pretoria posed, gave rise to the appearance of some of the heaviest artillery pieces that the Southern Hemisphere ever saw. The Pretoria Forts and Their Armament The internally (Uitlander) supported Jameson Raid at the start of 1896 brought the Transvaal Government to the shocking realisation that Pretoria, the seat of their government, was extremely vulnerable to invasion and that its defenders were inadequately armed. This led to numerous counter measures being taken, the most important of these, the decision in March 1896 to shut the capital off with a ring of forts. By the time war broke out in October 1899 this plan was only partially realised with four forts, Fort Klapperkop, Fort Schanskop, Fort Wonderboom and Fort Daspoortrand completed to defend the main approaches to the city. Two ammunition magazines at Pretoria, the Groen Magazijn and the Centrale Magazijn (complete with a parapet and garrison) as well as a fort at Johannesburg, were The inside of Fort Schanskop shortly before its completion. also completed. Contemporary European fortification principles dictated the design and construction of the forts. Of the four, three were built according to the designs of German engineers and representatives from Krupp, while Fort Daspoortrand was P . O . B O X 2 6 7 7 1 , LANGENHOVENPARK , 9 3 3 0 , SOUTH AFRICA [email protected] WWW.HEILBRONCOMMAN DO.COM 4 built according to a design by French engineers, representatives of Schneider & Co. One German military observer of the time was quoted to have said that he travelled all the way to South Africa to see forts that he could have seen in Germany. To close the gaps between the strongholds, the forts were to be supplied with long range garrison artillery. Major PE Erasmus, of the Staatsartillerie, proposed that each of the larger forts should have three heavy guns. One would resist frontal attacks, while two more were to be mounted on the sides of the fort to cover the flanks, to deliver enfilade fire in support of neighbouring forts and to support fire in front of the fort. To counter close-in attacks two lighter guns were also proposed for each fort. By the time Major Erasmus made this recommendation, six 75mm QF and four 155mm BL guns, later known as the “Long Toms”, were already on order from Schneider & Co. In the same month (April 1897) that this order was landed at Lourenço Marques (Mozambique), the plans were changed and it was decided that each fort should have two 155mm guns, two 75mm guns and two 37mm Maxims. This proposal was approved and on 14 May 1897 six more 155mm guns and ten 75mm guns were ordered. Delivery of this order was prevented by the outbreak A drawing signed by Major Erasmus and dated 15 April 1899 of war. showing one of the fort armament plans. In the end the forts did not play their intended role during the war, but they posed enough of a threat to the British to force them to drag extremely cumbersome siege artillery over many miles to Pretoria, thereby congesting their lines of supply and delaying their advance. To the Front The Transvaal’s acquisition of large calibre guns was no particular secret. Newspapers reported on it and therefore the general public and the British secret service agents in South Africa knew about it. However, for some reason the British were under the impression that the four 155mm pieces were guns of position and that they would be permanently installed in the forts. When the long-awaited war came, the Corps Vesting Artillerie (Fortress Artillery Corps) took these heavy-weights with them to the front and soon the British were greatly surprised by the Boer "secret" heavy guns firing at them at ranges far superior to their own artillery and from positions thought to be inaccessible to heavy ordnance. The Long Toms were not the only heavy guns in Boer hands as four 120mm Krupp QF howitzers also arrived before the outbreak of hostilities and later proved to be one of the best guns of the war. In summary, at the outbreak of war, the Transvaal had the following heavy ordnance: • 4-off 120mm Krupp QF howitzers 5 • 4-off 155mm Schneider (Creusot) BL siege guns • 1-off 6.3-in RML howitzer • 1-off 8-in SBML mortar Except for the two obsolete muzzle loading pieces, the Boer heavy guns became both feared and famous during the conflict. The Long Tom in particular became legendary with many a story (and a couple of fables) remaining to this day. Outranged by Boer artillery in the opening stages of the war, British artillery in the field was at a distinct disadvantage. In reply to the Long Tom and 120mm Krupp the Royal Artillery could only answer with regular field guns, the 5-in BL howitzer and two antique 6.3-in RML howitzers: • 18-off 5-in BL howitzer on Mk II carriages • 2-off 6.3-in RML howitzer on 40-pr RML carriages Captain Scott Saves the Empire Originally it was thought that Britain’s heavier artillery would only be needed for the “final” attack on the Pretoria forts and no allowance was made for heavy guns in the field. When it was finally discovered that the Boers had sent their fortress guns to the front and that they could easily out-gun anything the British army could throw at them, drastic measures had to be taken. The heavier guns of the Siege Train would provide an answer to the Boer guns, but they were not due to arrive in South Africa until early 1900. To fill the gap, the land forces turned to the Royal Navy (RN) who came to their rescue in the form of Captain Percy Scott of the HMS TERRIBLE. Scott was the RN’s foremost gunnery expert and his innovative approach to solve the problem proved that he was blessed with The HMS TERRIBLE. After landing most of her guns and crew she initiative too. was paralysed and had to be tied up in harbour. The TERRIBLE and her sister vessels carried a selection of naval guns which were quickly removed and mounted onto sturdy carriages of wood and metal which had been hastily designed and built. The first guns arrived in Ladysmith hours before it was encircled, while the remainder made their way to relieving forces on the Natal, Southern and Western Front. Due to their weight the guns had to be drawn by oxen giving rise to the name “cow guns”. Manned by their naval crews, the sailors of the Naval Brigades and their large guns were an unusual sight hundreds of miles away from the nearest ocean. The larger naval guns deployed ashore were: • 19-off 4.7-in QF guns on improvised carriages • 1-off 6-in QF gun on an improvised carriage