ARTILLERY REGISTER |
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| Historical Specifics: | The 6 inch howitzer was one of two medium guns used by the Australian artillery units between the wars, the other being the 60 pounder. The howitzers came into service with the Australian artillery around 1925 and there were 18 in Australia by 1939. The 2/1st Medium Regiment trained on these guns prior to moving to the Middle East. 20 additional guns were sent from the UK and another 52 brought back from the Middle East.
The 18 guns in Australia were fitted with pneumatic tyres in 1940and an interesting story goes with the work: ‘Somebody either here or in the United Kingdom made a mistake in the drawings and the new axle was put six inches too far in front of the trunnions. So when the first 6-inch howitzer was taken to Portsea for proof firing it did a spectacular turn of standing on its nose each time it was fired. I managed to resolve this problem by dashing down to Johns and Waywood and getting a few hundredweight of steel punchings which we put in a box in the trail shoe.’ 1 1 Gordon Rimmer. Call to Arms, the story of Brigadier O’Brien |
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