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', it was used by the West African Frontier Force in several theatres in Africa during World War I. It was also used by United States and 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 , 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 The Ordnance BL 2.75-inch mountain gun was a screw gun designed for and used by the Indian Mountain Artillery into World War I. Description The gun was an improved version of the 1901 BL 10-pounder mountain gun. The new 1911 version improved on t ...

, 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). 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). 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''." 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. 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. 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.

US service

The US purchased 12 guns in 1899 and used them in the

Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...

(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. It was also used in World War II by US and Philippine forces defending against the Japanese invasion. Approximately 50 were issued to the Filipino Army artillery regiments. The US Army Philippine Division had one battalion of the 23rd Artillery (

Philippine Scouts The Philippine Scouts (Filipino: ''Maghahanap ng Pilipinas'' or ''Hukbong Maghahanap ng Pilipinas'') was a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 until after the end of World War II. These troops were generally Filipinos an ...

) equipped with the 2.95 in mountain gun.

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).

US ammunition

According to the US manual of 1916 the "Double explosive" shell was no longer in US use.

Gallery

Pack Howitzer2.jpg, QF2.95inchMountainGun3.jpg, QF2.95inchMountainGunDiagram.jpg, QF2.95inchMountainGunMule.jpg, QF 2.95-inch Vickers-Maxim mountain gun.jpg, 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 * HM Royal Armouries Fort Nelson, Fareham, Hampshire, UK * At the Military Museum in Bogota, Colombia * U.S. Army Artillery Museum, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, USA

Notes and references

Bibliography

* Dale Clarke, ''British Artillery 1914–1919. Field Army Artillery''.

Osprey Publishing Osprey Publishing is a British, Oxford-based, publishing company specializing in military history. Predominantly an illustrated publisher, many of their books contain full-colour artwork plates, maps and photographs, and the company produces ov ...

, Oxford UK, 2004] * Major-General Sir John Headlam, ''The History of the Royal Artillery : From the Indian Mutiny to the Great War, Volume II (1899–1914)''. Woolwich ngland: Royal Artillery Institution, 1937. Facsimile reprint by Naval and Military Press 2004. * General Sir Martin Farndale, ''History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery : Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base 1914–18''. London: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988. * I.V. Hogg & L.F. Thurston, ''British Artillery Weapons & Ammunition 1914–1918''. London: Ian Allan, 1972. * 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.

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
{{DEFAULTSORT:QF 02.95-inch Mountain Gun Artillery of the United States World War I artillery of the United States World War I artillery of the United Kingdom Mountain artillery World War I mountain artillery 75 mm artillery Vickers Weapons of the Philippine Army