Ordnance QF 25 pounder
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| Ordnance QF 25 pounder | |
|---|---|
 A QF 25 pounder Mark II at the Imperial War Museum, London. |
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| Type | gun-howitzer |
| Place of origin | UK |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1930's to 1967 Still in use in Irish Reserve Defence Force (RDF) |
| Used by | Commonwealth |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1930's |
| Variants | Marks I, II, III and Short |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 1.8 tonnes |
| Length | 2.4 m |
| Barrel length | 31 calibres |
| Crew | 5 |
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| Shell | HE, AP, Smoke |
| Calibre | 3.45 in ( 87.5 mm) |
| Breech | sliding block |
| Recoil | Muzzle-brake |
| Carriage | Fixed trail |
| Rate of fire | 5 round/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 518 m/s (Charge 3) |
| Effective range | 13,400 yd (12,250 m) |
The Ordnance QF 25 pounder (or just 25-pounder or 25-pdr) was the major British field gun/howitzer that was introduced into service just before World War II and was the British Army's primary artillery system into the 1950s. Smaller numbers served until 1967 in the training role in England, while many Commonwealth of Nations countries used theirs until about the same time. It was considered by most involved to be the best field artillery piece of the war, combining high rates of fire with a particularly lethal shell in a highly mobile system. While of smaller calibre than contemporary post-war designs, it was only replaced due to NATO standardization, and its users were not particularly enthusiastic about its replacement. The 25 pounder was used in combat during the Battle of Mirbat in 1972 in Oman. One of the last uses of the 25-pounder in combat was by the Cyprus National Guard during the 1974 Turkish Invasion of Cyprus.
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[edit] Design
The design was the result of extended studies looking to replace both the 18 pounder (84 mm) field gun and the 4.5 inch (114 mm) howitzer, which had been important weapons during the First World War. The basic idea was to build a single weapon with the direct-fire capability of the 18 pounder with the high-angle fire of the howitzer, firing a shell about half way between the two in size, around 3.5 to 4 in (90 to 100 mm) of about 30 pounds (14 kg).
Development during the inter-war period was severely hampered by a lack of money, and it was eventually decided to build a "new" design from existing 18 pounders converted using new liners and pneumatic road wheels to allow towing. The result was a 3.45 in (88 mm) weapon firing a 25 pound (11 kg) HE shell. It was mounted on the original 18 pdr's single-trail design, which included a circular track under the trail. When used in the direct fire role, the track was dropped to the ground under the wheels, providing a flat surface that allowed the gunners to quickly turn the weapon in any direction.
Whereas earlier designs had used fixed ammunition with the shell and gunpowder in a single round, the new design looked to increase flexibility by providing a variety of different propellant loads. The result was three different "charges", Charge 1, 2 and 3. This variety allowed the gun to fire either high-angle or direct at various ranges, without overstressing the system. To these were added two sub-charges to cover the ranges between the 3 main charges and a super-charge that gave a maximum range of 13,400 yards (12,250 m). The introduction of the supercharge necessitated the addition of the muzzle-brake to later models. Rounds would be fitted with the proper charge prior to firing, at which point the gun could be loaded just as quickly as with older single-charge designs, allowing it to be called a "QF" design even though that normally excluded separate-charge systems.
The gun was fitted with a telescopic sight for engaging armoured vehicles and other targets in the direct fire role as well as the standard sight for indirect fire. The large gunshield gave cover for the gunners and could take a periscope.
An important part of the gun was the ammunition limber (trailer). The gun was hitched to it and the trailer hitched to the tractor when on tow. The limber carried the ammunition (thirty-two rounds) and a selection of stores and the gun tools.
[edit] Ammunition
The 25 pounder's main ammunition was the High Explosive (HE) shell, but it could fire smoke shells, star shells, chemical shells, and special projectiles containing propaganda leaflets. In the direct fire role, the 25 pdr was also supplied with a limited amount of 20 pound (9 kg) solid armour piercing (AP) rounds, later replaced with a more potent version with a ballistic cap. A shaped charge version was under development in Canada, but the introduction of the 17 Pounder dedicated anti-tank gun ended its development.
[edit] Service
The 25 pounder was the main field artillery gun used by British Commonwealth infantry divisions during the Second World War. Throughout the war each British-pattern infantry division was authorised seventy two 25 pounders, with each of the division's three field Regiments being issued with 24 guns organised into three 8 gun batteries.
After seeing the utility of the M7 Priest, the British introduced the similar Canadian-built Sexton, mounting the 25 pdr on a Ram tank chassis (based on the M3 Lee). The British also developed the Bishop, a similar conversion using the Valentine tank chassis. Normally the gun was towed, with its limber, usually behind a Morris C8 4x4 Field Artillery Tractor called a "Quad". The early 18/25 pdrs had been towed in the field by the Dragon a tracked vehicle.
Even by WWII standards, the 25 pdr was at the smaller-end of the scale. Most forces had entered the war with even smaller 75 mm designs, but had quickly moved to 105 mm and larger weapons. However the 25 pdr was nevertheless considered by all to be one of the best artillery pieces in use, and in particular its HE round was particularly deadly due to excellent embrittlement of the metal casing. The devastation caused by the gun (and the speed at which the British artillery command system could repsond) in Normandy and the rest of North-West Europe made many German soldiers believe that the Bitish had secretly deployed an automatic 25 pounder.
The introduction of NATO standardization led to the replacement of the gun with the 105 mm, but many of these proved to be less reliable in combat as a result of trying to make a larger gun of the same weight as the 25 pdr. This kept the 25 pdr in operation with mountain and airborne units for many years, its replacement generally being mortars as opposed to newer artillery units.
The gun known as the G1 was extensively used in the early stages of the South African Border War by the South African Defence Force, including Operation Savannah. The G1 is still used in the ceremonial role. The Rhodesian Army used the weapon during the Bush War, but by this stage the round couldn't pentrate enemy bunkers. The last British military unit to fire the gun in its field role (as opposed to in a ceremonial role) was the Gun Troop of the Honourable Artillery Company on Salisbury Plain in 1992.
The MkIII is still in service in the Irish Reserve Defence Forces (RDF)and a significant number are held in active reserve by the Cyprus National Guard.
[edit] Variants
[edit] Mark I
Known officially as the Ordnance, Quick Firing 25 pounder Mark I, or QF 25 pdr Mk.I in short, these conversions of the 18 pdr first entered British service in the early 1930s. Often referred to as the 18/25 pdr, the majority of these were lost in the early Norwegian Campaign. Many of these were captured by the Germans, who liked them so much they built up entire artillery units based on them. These units were deployed in Normandy prior to D-Day, leading to somewhat ironic duels between 25 pdr units on either side.
[edit] Mark II
The Mark II, many of which were built by Canada in Sorel, Quebec, entered service with the Royal Canadian Artillery in 1940. A later addition was the "super" charge to increase the gun's range to 13,400 yards (12,250 m), the power of which put extra stresses on the carriage and necessitated the adoption of a muzzle brake to reduce recoil. Guns with this modification were known as the Mark 2/1. The distinctive brake is a well-known feature of the gun that makes it easily recognized.
[edit] Mark III
The Mark III gun was a Mk.II with a modified receiver to prevent the rounds from slipping back out when loading at high angles. With the muzzle brake they became the Mark III/1, while the Mark IV were identical new-build versions which all featured the brake. A Mark 2 Carriage was developed for easier towing, and the Mark 3 Carriage included a hinge to allow the gun to be fired at much higher angles. Neither carriage was very reliable though, and not widely used. With the introduction of dedicated anti-tank guns, the single-trail design was no longer considered important, and the Mark 5 used a split-trail design with a much wider angle of traverse.
[edit] Short, Mark I
The 25 pounder Short Mark I, or Baby 25 pr, was an Australian pack gun version of the 25 pounder, first produced in 1943. This was a shortened version of the standard 25 pounder, mounted on the Carriage 25 pr Light, Mark 1. The Baby was intended for jungle combat and was used in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, during World War II. The gun could be towed by a light vehicle or broken down into 13 sections.
[edit] External links
| British and Commonwealth artillery of World War II | ||||||
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Tank & anti-tank guns
Field, Medium and Heavy guns
Mountain guns
Anti-aircraft guns
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| Weapons of the British Empire 1722-1965 | |
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Anti-Tank Weapons
Field guns & Misc. weapons
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