| Ordnance QF 12 pounder 8 cwt | |
|---|---|
Royal Navy gun and crew, late 1890s |
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| Type | Light field gun |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| Used by | British Empire |
| Wars | Second Boer War World War I |
| Production history | |
| Designed | circa. 1894 |
| Specifications | |
| Barrel length | 84 inch bore (28 calibres)[1] |
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| Shell | Separate QF, 12.5 pounds (5.67 kg) Shrapnel, Common Lyddite |
| Calibre | 3-inch (76.2 mm) |
| Carriage | Wheeled, box trail |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,585 feet per second (483 m/s)[2] |
| Maximum range | 5,100 yards (4,660 m)[2] |
The Ordnance QF 12 pounder 8 cwt was a Royal Navy "landing gun" intended for navy use ashore. "8 cwt" refers to the weight of the gun and breech, approximately 8 cwt = 8 x 112 lb (51 kg) = 896 lb. This was how the British often differentiated between guns of the same calibre or weight of shell. This gun had a short barrel and was of relatively low power compared to the 12 pounders of 12 and 18 cwt, although it fired the same shells.
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The Navy eventually replaced the gun with the 3.7 inch Mountain Howitzer.[3]
The gun was used in the early stages of the Second Boer War in Natal.[4]
Guns were employed on land in the West Africa campaign.
Also employed in the East Africa campaign ("Logan's Battery" 6th Field Battery, 2 guns, towed first by Hupmobile cars and then REO lorries).[5]
This gun was briefly used in the Battle of Gallipoli, as the Navy had supplies of ammunition for it when the army was short of ammunition for its own guns. Several guns were landed in July 1915 and operated from frontline trenches.[3]
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