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British/Commonwealth Artillery.

Discussion in 'Artillery' started by 4th wilts, Nov 6, 2012.

  1. 4th wilts

    4th wilts Member

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    Hey guys,were British/Commonwealth field guns/Howitzers and medium Artillery built in Great Britain and the commonwealth alone.? Cheers.Wilts.
     
  2. GRW

    GRW Pillboxologist WW2|ORG Editor

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    Good question, often wondered the same.
     
  3. 4th wilts

    4th wilts Member

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    Hey guys,were any British,C/wealth weapons systems manufactured in the U.S.A.? If so does anyone know which and how many approximately.I know the ubiquitous Sherman,M10 T.D,Halftrack,Thompson S.M.G Sexton 105mm S.P.G.and D.U.k.W.were,but any others you can think of? Many thanks in advance,cheers,Lee.
     
  4. gtblackwell

    gtblackwell Member Emeritus

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    Lee. this probably does not qualify but we owned a Lee Enfield M 1917 , chambered for the 30-06 round and made by Remington. Obviously a WW1 design but used post war . My grandfather believed Remington made some in 3-3 and shipped them to the UK in WW1. If so some may have ended up in WW2 . we ended up with it, a 1903 Springfield, a M1 Carbine and 1908 Luger and a Walther P 38. Being the youngest male I inherited none.
     
  5. Takao

    Takao Ace

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  6. von_noobie

    von_noobie Member

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    I know it's wiki but it can always be a starting point, Here is a list (complete?) of artillery used in the past.

    List of guns and mortars used by the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Also found in my searches this site that might be of some use later on for you guys.

    Site Directory

    Looking at this site it does give a basic account for some artillery used by Commonwealth forces, Largely limited to stop gap weapon's that were gained from the US and France (895 x 75mm on 18pdr carriage and 334+? x 155mm How/Gun M1917/1918 with M1917 built in France and M1918 in the US)
     
  7. lwd

    lwd Ace

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    Here's a link to some pre LL arms details:
    World War II -- emergency American arms to Britain
    Not the question you asked but this page:
    Wartime Production by the Commonwealth during WWII
    lists some of the artillery produciton of other Commonwealth countries.
    If you look at the links for particular guns on this page you may find production numbers:
    Category:World War II artillery of the United Kingdom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    such as:
    155 mm Long Tom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    240 mm howitzer M1 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
     
  8. yan taylor

    yan taylor Member

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    Both the British and U.S. forces used the 4.5in Gun;


    British; BL 4.5in Medium Field Gun
    Range; 18.700m

    U.S.A.; 4.5in M1 Gun
    Range; 19.300m

    Apparently both guns could use the same ammo.

    Ian.
     
  9. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake Member

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    The British used the following US artillery pieces

    75 mm howitzer - in airborne units
    105mm M7 Priest in SP artillery batteries in North Africa and Italy
    155 mm guns and 8" guns in Heavy batteries.
    3" M10 TD - in anti tank batteries in 1944 (though some of these were up-gunned to 17 Pdr standard)

    The americans also provided carriages for then 7.2" howitzers, based on stocks of 8" carriages remaining from the Great War.

    The US built copies of the following guns also manufactured in the UK and canada. 57mm anti tank gun & 40mm Bofors gun
     
  10. yan taylor

    yan taylor Member

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    Thank you Wilts.

    The U.S. Military produced a vehicle called the T48 GMC, it mounted 57mm M1 on a M3 Half-track, it was mainly exported to Russia, but I think the British also received some, I don’t think the Americans used it though, but they did use the T12 M3 GMC mounting a 75mm M1897A4 Gun on the same chassis, the 75mm M1897A4 was a copy of the French 75mm mle 1897.


    Ian.
     
  11. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake Member

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    I have not seen any mention of the T48GMC in British service in the RA. Its not mentioned in the post war report by Pemberton 1951 and I don't recall seeing it in "RA Notes". By the time its available the British may have already placed an order for the M10.
     
  12. yan taylor

    yan taylor Member

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    I am not sure if the British used them as a standard Half-track minus the gun.

    Yan.
     
  13. yan taylor

    yan taylor Member

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  14. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake Member

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    I think that is more likely. The British needed an armoured gun tractor more than a portee 6 pdr. RA antio tank doctrine was based on anto tank guns as a defensive weapon, setting ambushes for tanks rather than hunting them. The key role of anti tank guns was to follow the infantry as German practice was to counter attack.

    I think they tested the half track in 1943 and decided it was too underpowered to pull the 17 Pdr - they nearly burned out the clutch trying. Later, in 1945 they did use M14 (?) half tracks as 17 Pdr tractors, so maybe they used a varient with a more powerful engine,
     

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