BL 6-inch Gun Mk XIX

The British BL 6 inch Gun Mk XIX was introduced in 1916 as a lighter and longer-range field gun replacement for the obsolescent BL 6 inch Gun Mk VII.

History, description

The gun was designed and built by Vickers specifically as a field gun, unlike its predecessors which originated as naval guns. Its length was reduced from the 45 calibres of its naval gun predecessors, to 35 calibres, to reduce weight and improve mobility. It utilized the modern carriage and recoil mechanism of the BL 8 inch Howitzer Mk 6.

The gun barrel was of wire-wound construction: "The gun body is of steel and consists of tubes, a series of layers of steel wire, jacket, breech bush and breech ring".

"The breech mechanism is operated by means of a lever on the right side of the breech. On pulling the lever to the rear the breech screw is automatically unlocked and swung into the loading position. After loading, one thrust of the lever inserts the breech screw and turns it into the locked position. The breech mechanism is similar to that used on the 8 inch howitzers both in design and operation".

Operational history

Gun built in 1918 and bought for coast defence by the Brazilian Army in 1940, now on display at the Museum of the History of the Brazilian Army at Fort Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro.

British service

310 were built during World War I and the gun served in all theatres, with 108 being in service on the Western front at the end of World War I, but it did not completely replace the Mk VII gun until the end of the war.

3 batteries served with the BEF in France early in World War II, and others were deployed in the home defence of Britain. The gun was superseded by the 155-mm Gun M1, and the carriages used for BL 7.2-inch howitzer

US Service

"Handbook of artillery" of May 1920 stated that :

"The original British ammunition so closely resembled the American that it was decided to use the [US] regular Mark II high-explosive shell... the propellant charge will consist of a base section and increment section having a total weight of approximately 25 pounds".

Brazil service

Brazil purchased these guns from USA in 1940 for coastal defense.

South African service

Prior to the outbreak of World War II there were plans to use these guns in the fortification of Durban, Cape Town and Saldanha Bay.

For a short period, two guns were deployed for the protection of Port Elizabeth harbour at the outbreak of World War II.

Surviving examples

Gun at Signal Hill, Cape Town

On display at the South African National Museum of Military History

• A gun bought by Brazil from USA in 1940 is displayed at the Brazilian Army museum, Copacabana.
• A Mark XIX mounted on a Mark XIII carriage can be seen at the South African National Museum of Military History, Johannesburg.
• The Apostle Battery in Hout Bay, South Africa has another on display.
• A gun on display at Signal Hill, Cape Town, South Africa.

Image gallery

• 

  Sights used when mounted on a Mark XIII traversing carriage
• 

  Diagram showing left elevation
• 

  Diagram showing plan
• 

  British Mk XVI HE shell, WWI

See also

• List of field guns

Weapons of comparable role, performance and era

• Canon de 155mm GPF French equivalent
• 15 cm Kanone 16 German equivalent

Bibliography

• I.V. Hogg & L.F. Thurston, British Artillery Weapons & Ammunition 1914-1918. London: Ian Allan, 1972. ISBN 978-0-7110-0381-1
• Dale Clarke, British Artillery 1914-1919. Heavy Artillery. Osprey Publishing, Oxford UK, 2005 ISBN 978-1-84176-788-8
• Handbook of artillery : including mobile, anti-aircraft and trench matériel (1920). United States. Army. Ordnance Dept, May 1920

External links

• Per Finsted, Om den engelske 6-tommers feltkanon 1914-1940 (in Danish)