| The 15 pounder BL gun is the last in the line of field guns manufactured without a recuperator. This gun would have been outmoded when manufactured and they were to be eventually replaced with the 18 pounder field gun. In 1903 there were 24 of these guns in Australia with a further six on order. 18 of the existing 12 pounders were also converted to 15 pounder.
NSW received six of the Mark I ordnance, with interrupted thread breech in 1898. These were to see service during the Boer war. Another four of the Mark III ordnance were obtained by NSW. These guns had a different carriage and were fitted with the Welin parallel screw breech.
This gun at Victoria Barracks is one of those four. In 1903 it was used by No 1 NSW Battery and by 1912 with No 3 NSW Battery. It was placed in Stores in 1912/13. It appears four of the guns were retained for saluting purposes and this is stamped on the barrel. The following markings appear on this gun.
Barrel: Cypher of Queen Victoria
for Salute purposes only
7-0-25
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Breech Carrier: BL (indecipherable)
No 1006 |
R. Trunnion: RGF 1900
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Trail: RCD
Carr Fd BL 15 Pdr Mk III
A ↑ A
NSW
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Trail Eye: RCD
Reg No C4702
No 20 |
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