339:
44:
279:
314:
330:. Their main role in WW2 was to bombard any hostile landing, and potentially any captured airfields. Live firing produced a significant recoil and so rail spurs were laid specifically for the rail guns which incorporated ground anchors, and allowed firing in the general direction of the track. The blast wave from the guns could damage civilian infrastructure so the rail spurs were generally in unpopulated areas.
321:
The custom-designed 35-calibres Mk XIII gun had a heavier breech which allowed the trunnions to be closer to the breech and hence the breech did not depress as far when the barrel was elevated. On a new Mk IV mounting, Mk XIII guns could then be elevated to 40° and attain a range of 22,600 yards.
442:
that by "putting a piece on top of the mounting" an increase in elevation to 35° and range to 17,000 yards could be achieved, and
Rawlinson agreed it was urgent. It took the War Office bureaucracy until 28 March to approve the changes and forward the altered plans to Armstrongs. The episode is
288:
In June 1916 Elswick produced a more sophisticated turntable mounting with a loading platform, on a "straight-back" truck which mounted the gun much higher. This was lowered to the ground for firing, had outriggers for stability, allowed 360° traverse and elevation to 30°. The more modern
274:
These early mountings allowed 10° of traverse left and right, and moved forward and backwards along curved sections of track for further traversing. They limited elevation to 28° and hence limited maximum range. In March 1916 a modification increased elevation to 35°.
250:
A 9.2 inch railway gun was first deployed in 1900. The
British mounted a 9.2 inch gun from the Cape Town coastal defences on a railway truck and sent it up the railway line to support the British assault on Boer defences at
241:
255:, north-east of Johannesburg. The battle ended on 27 August 1900 before the gun arrived, and as the Boers thereafter resorted to guerrilla warfare this innovation was not used in action during the war.
219:
mounted a variety of surplus 9.2 inch naval guns, together with the custom-designed Mk XIII railway gun, on various railway platforms to provide mobile long-range heavy artillery on the
1512:
1507:
557:
Railway
Artillery: A Report on the Characteristics, Scope of Utility, Etc., of Railway Artillery, Volume II, Pages 126-136. Washington : Government Print Office, 1921
264:
290:
267:
naval and coast-defence guns were adapted by the
Elswick Ordnance Company for mounting on railway trucks for use in France and Belgium. They were mounted on
588:
649:
707:
1099:
528:
The South
African Military History Society. Military History Journal - Vol 2 No 3 June 1972. Guns in South Africa 1899-1902 Part V and VI
500:
677:
756:
712:
1394:
990:
17:
271:, which travelled backwards and upwards to absorb the recoil, on "well-based" trucks, where the base was level with the axles.
581:
932:
439:
1445:
1279:
1028:
812:
802:
786:
736:
405:
399:
1018:
1481:
960:
1092:
521:
507:
574:
1033:
128:
1379:
781:
516:, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Western Front 1914–18. London: Royal Artillery Institution, 1986.
1420:
1013:
1310:
865:
1399:
1244:
1221:
1085:
631:
1486:
1476:
1450:
1440:
1435:
1425:
1149:
1061:
965:
327:
301:) which were originally intended for a foreign order, and a specially developed 35-calibres railway gun (
220:
1159:
1430:
1164:
1023:
975:
970:
850:
761:
1517:
1455:
1259:
860:
855:
845:
822:
776:
771:
612:
387:
556:
535:& L.F. Thurston, British Artillery Weapons & Ammunition 1914 - 1918. London: Ian Allan, 1972
995:
893:
338:
566:
1415:
1108:
1077:
672:
667:
293:
was mounted on this design, together with 2 Mk X variants intended for
Australian coast defence (
1374:
1254:
1216:
1211:
1190:
1154:
1066:
1056:
955:
908:
626:
156:
43:
240:
1522:
1359:
1185:
1180:
1139:
1129:
942:
883:
1284:
1274:
1264:
1226:
950:
903:
898:
807:
766:
746:
717:
641:
621:
8:
980:
827:
817:
542:
444:
351:
252:
111:
1389:
1338:
1289:
741:
692:
278:
268:
123:
1249:
1144:
1134:
1005:
751:
702:
697:
687:
682:
517:
503:
374:
Mk XIII guns remained in service until 1945; all others were declared obsolete after
1384:
1333:
985:
927:
347:
326:
where they were deployed on railways in the south and east of
Britain, along with
313:
1328:
1320:
1269:
1206:
875:
728:
659:
513:
501:
British
Artillery 1914-1919. Heavy Artillery. Osprey Publishing, Oxford UK, 2005
365: First Army : 6 guns : Batteries 366 (2), 461 (2), 523 (2)
322:
These remained in service until 1945, serving in the home defence of
Britain in
597:
1501:
1369:
1364:
1305:
888:
527:
1115:
837:
323:
1043:
604:
538:
532:
435:
375:
360:
224:
96:
57:
346:, a Mk III* or Mk VI gun on Mk I well-based railway truck, in action at
227:. Mk XIII remained in service for British home defence in World War II.
369: Third Army : 4 guns : Batteries 363 (2), 442 (2)
168:
371: Fifth Army : 3 guns : Batteries 53 (1), 546 (2)
367: Second Army : 3 guns : Batteries 45 (2), 53 (1)
1354:
1111:
600:
596:
1107:
393:
195:
136:
199:
146:
48:
Camouflaged Mk XIII gun in action in France in World War I
555:
Harry W Miller, United States Army
Ordnance Department,
455:
453:
1513:
World War II railway artillery of the United Kingdom
359:
9.2-inch railway guns expended 45,000 rounds during
1508:
World War I railway artillery of the United Kingdom
450:
1499:
650:1.59-inch breech-loading Vickers Q.F. gun, Mk II
394:Weapons of comparable role, performance and era
363:. At the Armistice guns in service were :
217:Ordnance BL 9.2 inch gun on truck, railway
183:Mk III & VI: 17,000 yd (15,540 m)
1093:
582:
235:
36:Ordnance BL 9.2-inch Gun on truck, railway
1100:
1086:
589:
575:
337:
312:
277:
239:
412:
283:Mk X gun on Mk II "straight-back" truck
187:Mk XIII: 22,600 yd (20,670 m)
14:
1500:
468:Hogg & Thurston 1972, page 168-173
1081:
570:
443:recounted in Admiral Scott's memoirs
438:visited the front and pointed out to
408: : Approximate German equivalent
402: : Approximate German equivalent
933:Livens Large Gallery Flame Projector
185:Mk X: 21,000 yd (19,200 m)
263:Early in 1915 a variety of surplus
24:
549:
486:Hogg & Thurston 1972, page 169
25:
1534:
562:
333:
1477:BL 12-inch Mk V railway howitzer
180:Effective firing range
42:
1472:BL 9.2-inch Mk XIII railway gun
1029:BL 9.2-inch Mk IX – X naval gun
787:BL 8-inch howitzer Mk VI – VIII
543:"Fifty Years in the Royal Navy"
493:
445:"Fifty Years in the Royal Navy"
317:BL 9.2 inch Mk XIII railway gun
245:The gun at Belfast, August 1900
1431:BL 6-inch Mk VII & Mk XXIV
1019:QF 4-inch naval gun Mk I – III
480:
471:
462:
447:published 1919, pages 322-323.
428:
419:
308:
297:), 4 Vickers 45-calibre guns (
258:
13:
1:
1482:BL 13.5-inch Mk V railway gun
866:QF 3.7-inch mountain howitzer
1245:BL 4.5-inch medium field gun
956:QF 2-pounder "pom-pom" Mk II
803:BL 7.5-inch Mk III naval gun
406:24 cm SK L/30 "Theodor Otto"
400:24 cm SK L/40 "Theodor Karl"
7:
1487:BL 18-inch railway howitzer
1062:BL 12-inch railway howitzer
782:BL 8-inch howitzer Mk I – V
545:. London: John Murray, 1919
381:
131:380 pounds (172.37 kg)
10:
1539:
1311:3.7-inch mountain howitzer
1024:BL 6-inch Mk VII naval gun
918:Smoke and chemical weapons
851:BL 10-pounder mountain gun
813:BL 9.2-inch Mk X naval gun
230:
141:9.2 inches (233.7 mm)
1464:
1408:
1347:
1319:
1298:
1235:
1199:
1173:
1122:
1042:
1004:
941:
917:
874:
861:QF 2.95-inch mountain gun
856:BL 2.75-inch mountain gun
846:RML 2.5-inch mountain gun
836:
823:BL 12-inch Mk X naval gun
795:
777:BL 6-inch 30 cwt howitzer
772:BL 6-inch 26 cwt howitzer
726:
658:
640:
611:
388:List of railway artillery
265:Mk III and Mk VI 9.2-inch
236:Second Boer War 1899-1902
209:40 pounds (18.14 kg)
205:
191:
179:
167:
155:
145:
135:
122:
117:
107:
102:
92:
84:
76:
71:
64:Place of origin
63:
53:
41:
34:
1200:Field guns and howitzers
894:Vickers 1.57-inch mortar
112:Elswick Ordnance Company
1217:25-pounder Gun-Howitzer
1052:BL 9.2-inch railway gun
539:Admiral Sir Percy Scott
18:BL 9.2 inch Railway Gun
1375:QF 2-pounder naval gun
1255:BL 5.5-inch medium gun
1165:QF 95 mm howitzer
1067:BL 14-inch railway gun
1057:BL 12-inch railway gun
909:9.45-inch Heavy Mortar
627:QF 6-pounder Hotchkiss
477:Farndale 1986, Annex M
356:
318:
285:
247:
1348:Anti-aircraft weapons
1306:75mm Pack howitzer M1
884:Garland trench mortar
341:
316:
281:
243:
1370:QF 1½-pounder Mk III
1285:BL 9.2-inch howitzer
1275:BL 7.2-inch howitzer
1265:BL 6-inch gun Mk XIX
1227:QF 4.5-inch howitzer
1109:British Commonwealth
1014:QF 12-pounder 12 cwt
966:QF 12-pounder 12 cwt
951:QF 1-pounder pom-pom
924:4-inch Stokes Mortar
904:Newton 6-inch mortar
899:2-inch medium mortar
889:3-inch Stokes mortar
808:BL 9.2-inch howitzer
767:BL 6-inch gun Mk XIX
762:BL 6-inch gun Mk VII
757:BLC 6-inch siege gun
747:BL 5.4-inch howitzer
718:QF 4.5-inch howitzer
713:BL 4-inch gun Mk VII
708:QF 4-inch gun Mk III
678:QF 12-pounder 18 cwt
622:QF 3-pounder Vickers
459:Clarke 2005, page 36
413:Notes and references
1426:QF 4.7-inch Mk I–IV
1416:QF 6-pounder 10 cwt
981:QF 13-pounder 9 cwt
976:QF 13-pounder Mk IV
971:QF 13-pounder 6 cwt
828:BL 15-inch howitzer
818:BL 12-inch howitzer
673:QF 12-pounder 8 cwt
668:BL 12-pounder 6 cwt
514:Sir Martin Farndale
436:Admiral Percy Scott
434:On 20 January 1916
352:Battle of the Somme
206:Filling weight
173:Mk I: 10° L & R
1400:QF 5.25-inch Mk II
1339:ML 4.2-inch mortar
1329:SBML 2-inch mortar
1290:240 mm howitzer M1
1280:BL 8-inch howitzer
1260:BL 6-inch howitzer
1238:guns and howitzers
1150:QF 3-inch howitzer
943:Anti-aircraft guns
838:Mountain artillery
742:BL 5-inch howitzer
632:QF 6-pounder 6 cwt
357:
328:12" rail howitzers
319:
286:
248:
103:Production history
1495:
1494:
1465:Railway artillery
1451:BL 14-inch Mk VII
1441:BL 8-inch Mk VIII
1436:BL 7.5-inch Mk VI
1395:QF 4.5-inch Mk II
1250:BL 60-pounder gun
1236:Medium and heavy
1075:
1074:
1006:Coastal artillery
752:BL 60-pounder gun
440:General Rawlinson
213:
212:
16:(Redirected from
1530:
1518:234 mm artillery
1446:BL 9.2-inch Mk X
1334:ML 3-inch mortar
1222:25-pounder Short
1102:
1095:
1088:
1079:
1078:
986:QF 3-inch 20 cwt
928:Livens Projector
613:Armoured vehicle
591:
584:
577:
568:
567:
487:
484:
478:
475:
469:
466:
460:
457:
448:
432:
426:
423:
354:, September 1916
269:Vavasseur slides
46:
37:
32:
31:
21:
1538:
1537:
1533:
1532:
1531:
1529:
1528:
1527:
1498:
1497:
1496:
1491:
1460:
1456:BL 15-inch Mk I
1404:
1343:
1315:
1294:
1270:155 mm Long Tom
1237:
1231:
1207:75 mm Gun M1917
1195:
1169:
1118:
1106:
1076:
1071:
1038:
1000:
937:
913:
870:
832:
796:Siege artillery
791:
737:QF 4.7-inch gun
729:heavy artillery
722:
660:Field artillery
654:
636:
607:
605:First World War
595:
565:
552:
550:Further reading
496:
491:
490:
485:
481:
476:
472:
467:
463:
458:
451:
433:
429:
425:Hall, June 1972
424:
420:
415:
396:
384:
370:
368:
366:
364:
355:
336:
311:
284:
261:
246:
238:
233:
186:
184:
174:
162:
97:First World War
77:In service
72:Service history
49:
35:
30:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1536:
1526:
1525:
1520:
1515:
1510:
1493:
1492:
1490:
1489:
1484:
1479:
1474:
1468:
1466:
1462:
1461:
1459:
1458:
1453:
1448:
1443:
1438:
1433:
1428:
1423:
1418:
1412:
1410:
1406:
1405:
1403:
1402:
1397:
1392:
1387:
1382:
1377:
1372:
1367:
1362:
1360:20 mm Oerlikon
1357:
1351:
1349:
1345:
1344:
1342:
1341:
1336:
1331:
1325:
1323:
1317:
1316:
1314:
1313:
1308:
1302:
1300:
1296:
1295:
1293:
1292:
1287:
1282:
1277:
1272:
1267:
1262:
1257:
1252:
1247:
1241:
1239:
1233:
1232:
1230:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1203:
1201:
1197:
1196:
1194:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1177:
1175:
1174:Anti-tank guns
1171:
1170:
1168:
1167:
1162:
1157:
1152:
1147:
1142:
1137:
1132:
1126:
1124:
1120:
1119:
1105:
1104:
1097:
1090:
1082:
1073:
1072:
1070:
1069:
1064:
1059:
1054:
1048:
1046:
1040:
1039:
1037:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1010:
1008:
1002:
1001:
999:
998:
996:QF 4-inch Mk V
993:
988:
983:
978:
973:
968:
963:
958:
953:
947:
945:
939:
938:
936:
935:
930:
925:
921:
919:
915:
914:
912:
911:
906:
901:
896:
891:
886:
880:
878:
872:
871:
869:
868:
863:
858:
853:
848:
842:
840:
834:
833:
831:
830:
825:
820:
815:
810:
805:
799:
797:
793:
792:
790:
789:
784:
779:
774:
769:
764:
759:
754:
749:
744:
739:
733:
731:
724:
723:
721:
720:
715:
710:
705:
700:
695:
693:BLC 15-pounder
690:
685:
680:
675:
670:
664:
662:
656:
655:
653:
652:
646:
644:
638:
637:
635:
634:
629:
624:
618:
616:
609:
608:
598:British Empire
594:
593:
586:
579:
571:
564:
563:External links
561:
560:
559:
551:
548:
547:
546:
536:
530:
526:Major D Hall,
524:
510:
495:
492:
489:
488:
479:
470:
461:
449:
427:
417:
416:
414:
411:
410:
409:
403:
395:
392:
391:
390:
383:
380:
342:
335:
334:Combat service
332:
310:
307:
282:
260:
257:
244:
237:
234:
232:
229:
211:
210:
207:
203:
202:
193:
189:
188:
181:
177:
176:
171:
165:
164:
159:
153:
152:
151:inclined slide
149:
143:
142:
139:
133:
132:
126:
120:
119:
118:Specifications
115:
114:
109:
105:
104:
100:
99:
94:
90:
89:
88:United Kingdom
86:
82:
81:
78:
74:
73:
69:
68:
67:United Kingdom
65:
61:
60:
55:
51:
50:
47:
39:
38:
28:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1535:
1524:
1521:
1519:
1516:
1514:
1511:
1509:
1506:
1505:
1503:
1488:
1485:
1483:
1480:
1478:
1475:
1473:
1470:
1469:
1467:
1463:
1457:
1454:
1452:
1449:
1447:
1444:
1442:
1439:
1437:
1434:
1432:
1429:
1427:
1424:
1422:
1421:QF 12-pounder
1419:
1417:
1414:
1413:
1411:
1409:Coast defence
1407:
1401:
1398:
1396:
1393:
1391:
1388:
1386:
1383:
1381:
1378:
1376:
1373:
1371:
1368:
1366:
1365:20 mm Polsten
1363:
1361:
1358:
1356:
1353:
1352:
1350:
1346:
1340:
1337:
1335:
1332:
1330:
1327:
1326:
1324:
1322:
1318:
1312:
1309:
1307:
1304:
1303:
1301:
1299:Mountain guns
1297:
1291:
1288:
1286:
1283:
1281:
1278:
1276:
1273:
1271:
1268:
1266:
1263:
1261:
1258:
1256:
1253:
1251:
1248:
1246:
1243:
1242:
1240:
1234:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1212:QF 18-pounder
1210:
1208:
1205:
1204:
1202:
1198:
1192:
1191:QF 17-pounder
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1178:
1176:
1172:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1155:QF 17-pounder
1153:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1141:
1138:
1136:
1133:
1131:
1128:
1127:
1125:
1121:
1117:
1113:
1110:
1103:
1098:
1096:
1091:
1089:
1084:
1083:
1080:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1053:
1050:
1049:
1047:
1045:
1041:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1011:
1009:
1007:
1003:
997:
994:
992:
991:QF 18-pounder
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
959:
957:
954:
952:
949:
948:
946:
944:
940:
934:
931:
929:
926:
923:
922:
920:
916:
910:
907:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
881:
879:
877:
873:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
843:
841:
839:
835:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
800:
798:
794:
788:
785:
783:
780:
778:
775:
773:
770:
768:
765:
763:
760:
758:
755:
753:
750:
748:
745:
743:
740:
738:
735:
734:
732:
730:
727:Medium &
725:
719:
716:
714:
711:
709:
706:
704:
703:QF 18-pounder
701:
699:
698:QF 15-pounder
696:
694:
691:
689:
688:BL 15-pounder
686:
684:
683:QF 13-pounder
681:
679:
676:
674:
671:
669:
666:
665:
663:
661:
657:
651:
648:
647:
645:
643:
642:Infantry guns
639:
633:
630:
628:
625:
623:
620:
619:
617:
614:
610:
606:
602:
599:
592:
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522:1-870114-00-0
519:
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508:1-84176-788-3
505:
502:
499:Dale Clarke,
498:
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344:HMS Iron Duke
340:
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222:
221:Western Front
218:
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182:
178:
175:Mk III: 360°
172:
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40:
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27:
19:
1523:Railway guns
1471:
1380:Bofors 40 mm
1186:QF 6-pounder
1181:QF 2-pounder
1140:QF 6-pounder
1135:QF 3-pounder
1130:QF 2-pounder
1116:World War II
1051:
1044:Railway guns
961:75 mm AA gun
494:Bibliography
482:
473:
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430:
421:
373:
358:
343:
324:World War II
320:
302:
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287:
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216:
215:The British
214:
108:Manufacturer
85:Used by
26:
1390:QF 3.7-inch
376:World War I
361:World War I
309:Mk XIII gun
259:World War I
225:World War I
58:Railway gun
29:Railway gun
1502:Categories
1034:RML 9-inch
163:MK IV: 40°
1385:QF 3-inch
1355:Z Battery
1123:Tank guns
1112:artillery
601:artillery
533:I.V. Hogg
348:Maricourt
161:Mk I: 28°
157:Elevation
80:1915–1945
1160:77 mm HV
1145:QF 75 mm
512:General
382:See also
291:Mk X gun
169:Traverse
1321:Mortars
876:Mortars
603:of the
303:Mk XIII
253:Belfast
231:History
196:Lyddite
192:Filling
137:Calibre
520:
506:
299:Mk XIV
200:Amatol
147:Recoil
295:Mk XT
124:Shell
615:guns
518:ISBN
504:ISBN
93:Wars
54:Type
1114:of
305:).
223:in
1504::
541:,
452:^
378:.
350:,
198:,
129:HE
1101:e
1094:t
1087:v
590:e
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576:v
20:)
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