Field gun

“ Along with every gun there are two carriages for transporting the shell and shrapnel which are fired from it.
Field guns are of various sorts and sizes, according to the work which they have to do. Our Royal Field Artillery is armed with a quick-firing gun, called an eighteen-pounder, because it throws a shot weighing eighteen pounds. This gun is made by winding strong ribbons of steel round a long steel tube. It can throw its charge for about three and a half miles, but it is most effective when the range is not more than about two and a quarter miles. ”

“ So far, we have talked only of the big guns, but in a modern battle the field-gun plays a very important part. This fires a shell that weighs between fourteen and eighteen pounds and is about three inches in diameter. The shell and the powder that fires it are contained in a cartridge that is just like the cartridge of a shoulder rifle. These field-pieces are built to be fired rapidly. The French 75-millimeter gun, which is considered one of the best, will fire at the rate of twenty shots per minute, and its effective range is considerably over three miles. ”

“ The great difference between the action of an ordinary gun and that of a howitzer is the difference between a boy throwing a stone at a mark which he can see, and the same boy lobbing a stone over a wall so that it will fall on something hidden from his view. The ordinary field gun has a long, flat sweep of fire, and is therefore unable to shoot over hills, trees, or houses, or to drop shells on men lying close behind a bank or in a deep, narrow trench. ”

“ While differing in mechanical features, the field guns of the different European countries are practically of the same type and, though constant effort is being made to improve details, they can be stated as generally satisfactory to their own governments and not liable to any radical changes. The general type of field gun, while capable of fulfilling most of the division artillery missions, must be supplemented by a proper howitzer. There are many instances where the terrain or the lay of the land offers such protection to the infantry that the field gun cannot bring an effective fire. ”

“ It is the consensus of all artillery officers—French, British and American—that the heavy field gun should be of approximately 6” caliber and with a range in excess of 25,000 yards, with not less than 60 degree traverse, weighing not more than 12 tons, limbered, capable of occupying and leaving a position quickly, and with a width of tread which does not prevent two-way traffic on ordinary roads. ”

“ Turf emplacements are constructed for the six guns, and turfed dug-outs house the telephone-operator and the gunners. The battery officers are billeted some way back, usually in a kind of farmhouse, whose chief decorative feature is a midden-heap; in England it would promptly be the subject of a closing order by any Public Health authority.
There is nothing more admirable than a field-gun. As a ship answers her helm or an aeroplane its controls, so does an eighteen-pounder respond to every turn of her elevating and traversing gear. Watch a gunner laying his gun on a target he cannot see ”

“ The principal mission of the heavy field gun is harassing and interdiction fire, and for these uses the 6” projectile is sufficiently heavy. The maximum practicable traverse and elevation should be provided by the carriage of the heavy field gun. ”

“ The gun-layers are standing at their sights, the guns' crews are working levers to and fro, the big breech-blocks are swinging on one side, the huge pointed projectiles rising on their hydraulic hoists till they come in line with the bore of the gun. ”

“ For the two latter, see Howitzer and Mortar. Guns are subdivided in the U. S. service according to their use, into field, siege, and sea-coast guns. The field-guns consist of two rifle pieces; the 3-inch rifle, adopted in 1861, and the 31⁄2-inch rifle, adopted in 1870 (see Ordnance, Construction of) , and the Napoleon gun, a 12-pounder smooth-bore, adopted in 1857. (See Napoleon Gun.) The only siege gun adopted by the United States is a 41⁄2-inch rifle. ”

“ H.M.S. DREADNOUGHT FIRING A BROADSIDE OF 12-INCH GUNS
But look inside this massive gun-hood, from which protrude forty feet of two sleek grey monster cannon, each of which is capable of hurling 850 pounds of steel and high explosive a distance of a dozen miles. Grouped round their guns in various attitudes are the bluejackets forming their crews. They are tanned and weather-beaten fellows, but there is a strained and tired look about their eyes. Here in the confined spaces of their turret they have eaten, slept, and whiled away the watches as best they might for many, many hours. ”

“ In the field we have the field and horse artillery, which we may regard as the naval gun modified somewhat in order to make it easy to move about, so that it can accompany troops and support the operations of both infantry and cavalry. These light guns are supported by the field howitzers, which are also light and easily handled, and the guns of the 4·7 type, originally naval guns but now mounted on wheels and possessing a certain amount of [Pg 115] mobility, not equalling the field guns it is true, but still very serviceable in a campaign. ”

“ Of course the better the barrels, the better it will shoot, to a greater degree even than the old gun; and it is being daily made more perfect. The weight has already been reduced, for field-guns even of No. 12 bore, to six pounds ten ounces, which is as light as any double-gun should be, and the mechanism of the parts is very fine. ”

“ As we rode to the rear we emerged from the woods and to our left was a large open field, in which was a six gun battery having a picnic. I said: " Sergeant, that is my branch of the service. As we are not under any special orders, please ride over and let us watch the guns." When we arrived we found a six gun battery of 3-inch steel rifles—then the best gun known for field use. The guns were new, the harness, men and horses were spick and span, but they were doing some very poor shooting. ”

“ A host of new O.P.’s were erected, new roads and light railways constructed, while large working parties prepared fresh gun pits in advanced positions, and all were carefully camouflaged where they were exposed to enemy view. Every day new units arrived, and the country appeared to be overrun with troops. Most of the forward work had to be done during the night, and, as each position was completed, the guns were silently concentrated. ”

“ Alternative positions in the same hedgerow should be avoided, as it is certain to be discovered immediately, and the range is probably already known.
The edge of the wood, if it commands suitable ground, is an excellent position for machine guns; but if the carriages remain in the wood they must be provided with cover. When time and material are available, a good field of fire may be obtained by erecting a platform ten to twelve feet above the ground in the trees, and placing a machine gun on this; not only is the field of fire much increased, but the gun will be almost impossible to discover. ”

“ The guns were four-inch field pieces, each drawn by six horses, the two leaders being ridden by cadets, while seven men were on the gun itself, an arrangement somewhat different from that in the regular army. Real ammunition was used in practice, the pieces being directed at target placed against a hill of soft dirt, in which the balls buried themselves. ”

“ We use two sizes, one with .45 bore for the Navy, which takes an all-lead bullet weighing 480 grains, and the other with .303 bore, the ordinary nickel-coated [Pg 101] rifle bullet for the Army. But as the Maxim gun can be adapted to every rifle-calibre ammunition it is patronised by all governments.
The gun itself weighs 56 lbs., and is mounted for use in various ways: on a tripod, a field stand, or a field carriage with wheels. This carriage has sixteen boxes of ammunition, each containing a belt of 250 cartridges, making 4000 rounds altogether. ”

“ A cast-iron or brass muzzle-loading gun could be made so much more easily, rapidly, and cheaply than a built-up wrought-iron breech-loader of the same calibre that with the growing demand for guns afloat there is little wonder that the former drove the more expensive weapon clean out of the field. ”

“ In addition to the stores, and side arms for the service of the gun, a heavy gun in the field requires men’s harness, and dragropes, a lifting jack, a set of intrenching tools, and three planks of a foot wide, and ten or twelve feet long. There should be a lever, and fulcrums, and prop, for every two guns; besides a gyn, rollers, tackles, and ropes for every four guns. The side arms, handspikes, and planks are strapped on the cheek; the gyn, rollers, tackles, &c., are carried on a platform waggon. ”

“ Every member of the crew must know his duties so well as to make his motion automatic; the direction to turn the various handwheels, milled heads, and gears to obtain the desired result, and he must always do these things in the same way. The effect of small differences in laying may be graphically shown the gun crew by firing sub-caliber ammunition at a small arms steel target which rings a bell when a bull’s-eye is made. ”

“ In taking up the study of materiel, the Field Artillery student should know something of the history and development of ordnance and the reasons for the various changes which have taken place from time to time.
The sole use of a gun is to throw a projectile. The earliest projectile was a stone thrown by the hand and arm of man—either in an attack upon an enemy or upon a beast that was being hunted for food. ”

“ The 301st got the world renowned French 75, the best known gun of the war, and the 302nd got American 4.7 rifles about which nothing was known.
While in Gradignan and vicinity our days consisted largely in getting acquainted with our new guns. We [23] also learnt French and paraded. Some of our number were detailed to join the Advanced Schools Detachment at Camp de Souge, August 14th. ”

“ The outbreak of the late war saw all modern armies largely equipped with guns resembling the French “75” in a long-run recoil mechanism, weight of projectile and weight of carriage, etc. The fact that the largest number of horses which could best be handled to maneuver the light guns—about 6—could not pull over a long period a gun or caisson with its limber if the weight was more than about 4500 pounds, resulted in the practical standardization of light guns in all armies. ”

“ They can remember the joy they had in the heartening roar of our guns as they prepared the attack, the multitudinous clamour of the field guns, the sharp scream of the 12-inch guns which reared their monstrous throats by street corners of Albert, the deep note, as of a giant’s cough, of the 15-inch howitzers, pushing out shells as big almost as mines. ”

“ As the gunner wishes the shrapnel to burst about fifty yards before reaching the troops, he makes his fuse [199] of such a length that it will explode the powder in a little less than ten seconds after the shell has left the gun.
Royal Field Artillery in Action. Photo, Exclusive News Agency. Notice that the gun is hidden behind bushes. Sometimes the guns are covered with straw or branches of trees in order to hide them from observers in aeroplanes.
When the powder explodes, it blows out the bullets, which fly forward in a cone-shaped shower. ”

“ On the under side of the gun, extending the entire length of the jacket, locking hoop, and front clip, are formed two recoil guides or clips which fit over and secure the gun to the guide rails of the cradle. When the gun is fired, it slides along the guide rails. The dust guard covers the part of the guide rails between the locking hoop and the front clip. The rifling of the bore is right-hand twist and starts with 0 turns at the breech increasing to 1 turn in 25 calibers at 10 inches from the muzzle, then uniform to the muzzle. ”

“ Light Gun. Ideal. A gun of about 3” caliber on a carriage permitting a vertical arc of fire of from 5 degrees depression to 80 degrees elevation and a horizontal arc of fire of 360 degrees; a projectile weighing not over 20 pounds, shrapnel and high explosive shell of satisfactory man-killing characteristics with maximum range of 15,000 yards; fixed ammunition, smokeless, flashless propelling charge; time fuse for shrapnel. With shell having safe fuses with different lengths of delayed action after they land. The high explosive shell should be of one type only. ”

“ Field Service Regulations, 1909, speaking of rear guards in mountain warfare, says: “Mountain artillery should usually form part of a rear guard, and machine guns may be usefully employed. The withdrawal of the artillery is usually an encouragement to the enemy to press on, and on such occasions machine guns will often find scope for action....” “If the rear-guard commander considers it impossible to reach camp before nightfall, it will generally be advisable for him to halt and bivouac for the night in the most favourable position for defence.” ”

“ The anticipation is confidently adventured that a great revolution will be made in warfare by the magazine rifle with its increased range, the machine gun, and the quick-firing field artillery which will speedily be introduced into every service. It does not seem likely that smokeless powder will create any very important change, except in siege operations. On the battlefield neither artillery nor infantry come into action out of sight of the enemy. ”