Indian Army 75/24 Pack Howitzer

[Vasco Da Gama]

This case turned up in the UK but must have travelled at some point! It is marked for the indigenously produced Indian Army 75/24 Pack or Mountain Howitzer. The length is 307mm, rim 108mm and mouth 85mm (which would indicate separate loading ammunition to me). Finding the paint markings intact is a bonus. I cannot find much information on this weapon and would be glad to be educated. Pictured alongside a US M5 75mm Pack Howitzer case for comparison.

 

[ydnum303]

Apologies for hijacking this thread, but I also have found one of these cases at a local antiques fair. Identical to the above dimension-wise, but the date is 1975, and the lot number 924B. No stencils on the case side, but a letter "B" is stencilled on the base.

All I can find on the internet is that this was a 75mm gun firing a 24-pdr shell.

Seeing the mark "M^S", I thought this was an Australian-made case, until I checked the primer, which although it appears to be a British-style No.11, was actually made in Khamaria Ordnance Factory.

Surely we have some knowledgeable people out there who can tell us about this gun and/or the ammunition it fired?

Roger.

 

[Bonnex]

Apologies for hijacking this thread, but I also have found one of these cases at a local antiques fair. Identical to the above dimension-wise, but the date is 1975, and the lot number 924B. No stencils on the case side, but a letter "B" is stencilled on the base.

All I can find on the internet is that this was a 75mm gun firing a 24-pdr shell.

Seeing the mark "M^S", I thought this was an Australian-made case, until I checked the primer, which although it appears to be a British-style No.11, was actually made in Khamaria Ordnance Factory.

Surely we have some knowledgeable people out there who can tell us about this gun and/or the ammunition it fired?

Roger.

Roger,

It is a Canadian designed Pack Howitzer used by (and possibly manufactured by) the Indian forces. The nomenclature 75/24 decodes as 75mm bore (calibre) with a barrel length of 24 calibres. It uses QF Separate ammunition.
Projectiles included:
Shell, HE QF
Shell Screening Smoke BE QF
Shell Coloured Smoke BE QF
Shell HE AT QF
and a target indicating shell.

The "B" (or "A") is a Mark letter I believe (Mark as in Mark 2 or Mark II).

 

[ydnum303]

Norman,

Thanks for this info. The "24-pds projectile weight" came from an internet source about Indian artillery, but how authoritative it was, I don't know. When i first saw the headstamp, I assumed the "24" bit referred to the calibre; - a 24-pd shell of 75mm calibre would be a bit long and thin.

Does anyone have any pictures of the ammunition, or know where they can be found on the internet?

Roger.

 

[Bonnex]

Best I can do Roger:

 

[ydnum303]

Many thanks, Norman; that is just what I was after. All I have to do now is find one of the shells!

Regards,
Roger.