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2 Pounder headstamp "MK III GUN ONLY"

"...been for tanks - or dual purpose"

Tony,

I have not got far with this. I have a note that records an entry in the 1920 OB Annual Report (page 185) giving the 2-Pr Mk V as Land Service but that probably does not mean much. Incidently the 1921 AR (page 46) mentions the conversion of 2-Pr QF Mk IV to sub-cal (possibly for the 3-in 20cwt).

Another note suggests that OB Proc 40809 lists obsolete guns (Naval Service) which might touch on these small calibre guns; I will check when I can (there are sets of OB Procs in the PRO and in the Royal Armouries Library for anyone so interested).
 
Pity I'm so far away, those notes might explain some of the ww1 1 Pr tracer variations ~
 
Another note, this time from OC Annual Report for 1920 concerning the production of range tables:

Minute 39082 2-Pr Mark VII, airship gun (Flying heights 2,000, 7,500 and 15,000 feet)

also from page 109:

"Experimental firings from a rigid airship with the 2-Pr QF Mark IV were carried out."

"Of the aerial guns ... there now only remain:

a. 1 1/2 Pr CO Works automatic gun Mk III ...about 100 in existence
b. 1.457 EOCo experimental automatic belt feed of which there is only one
c Two 2-Pr Mark V awaiting trials"
 
Bonnex said:
"...[...]Another note suggests that OB Proc 40809 lists obsolete guns (Naval Service) which might touch on these small calibre guns; I will check when I can [...]).
Click to expand...

Checked the reference. The guns less than 3-pr declared obsolete for Naval Service by NO 34903 and recorded in the OC Minute 40809 are:

2 1/2 Pr Jap
2 Pr, Mk III
1 1/2 Pr
1 Pr, Mks I and II
1 Pr, Bethlehem

No further details given.
 
Hi Norman,

What was the date of OC Minute 40809, please?

I never knew that we actually used the 2-Pdr Jap gun. Presumably the 47mm Hotchkiss Revolver cannon? When was this taken into use? And would we have used projectiles with the copper driving band, the corrugated brass db, or both types? I suppose this accounts for the fact that some of the cases for this round have a "CF" stamp on the base (although they appear to be contract rounds for Japan). Can anyone confirm this, please?

R.
 
ydnum303 said:
Hi Norman,

What was the date of OC Minute 40809, please?

I never knew that we actually used the 2-Pdr Jap gun. Presumably the 47mm Hotchkiss Revolver cannon? When was this taken into use? And would we have used projectiles with the copper driving band, the corrugated brass db, or both types? I suppose this accounts for the fact that some of the cases for this round have a "CF" stamp on the base (although they appear to be contract rounds for Japan). Can anyone confirm this, please?

R.
Click to expand...

Roger,

The date of the Minute is 1st October 1920.

The 2 1/2-Pr Hotchkiss and Yamanouchi QF Guns were procured from Japan by DNO in 1915. Apart from a Range and Accuracy trial using brass corrugated db and some with copper db the OC was not really involved. I am not sure how many 2 1/2-prs were obtained.

According to OC at least 148 3-Pr Jap guns were distributed to trawlers and armed tugs and, in discussing the risks of accident due to fuzes unscrewing due to the rifling being left-handed, it mentions that this was overcome in the 2 1/2-prs by cementing in the fuzes. Incidently the nomanclature of the 3-pr was "Ordnance, QF, Japanese 3-Pr N Hotchiss Pattern" (it too was demised 1 Oct 1920. There was a 6-Pr Jap gun too).
 
I read a long while ago in a book on Q ships that some were armed with 21/2pr guns but cant recall the title, might be worth researching.
 
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