BL 12 inch Howitzer
Encyclopedia
The Ordnance BL 12 inch howitzer was a scaled-up version of the successful 9.2 inch siege howitzer
.
designed an almost identical version scaled up to a calibre of 12 inch, the Mk II entering service on the Western Front
in August 1916.
It was similar but unrelated to the 12 inch railway howitzers Mk I, III and V
produced by the Elswick Ordnance Company at the same time.
The Mk IV was a more powerful version with longer barrel produced from 1917.
Later models were used for British home defence in World War II
.
in World War I
.
The 12 inch was dismantled and transported in 6 loads mounted on traction engine
wheels. It was then reassembled on its static siege mounting on top of a steel "holdfast", with 22 tons
of earth in a box sitting on the front of the holdfast in front of the gun, to counteract the kick of firing.
BL 9.2 inch Howitzer
The Ordnance BL 9.2 inch howitzer was the principal counter-battery equipment of British forces in France in World War I. It equipped a substantial number of siege batteries of the Royal Garrison Artillery...
.
History
Following the success of their BL 9.2 inch Howitzer, VickersVickers
Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 1999.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &...
designed an almost identical version scaled up to a calibre of 12 inch, the Mk II entering service on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
in August 1916.
It was similar but unrelated to the 12 inch railway howitzers Mk I, III and V
BL 12 inch Railway Howitzer
The Ordnance BL 12 inch howitzer on truck, railway was developed following the success of the 9.2 inch siege howitzer. It was similar but unrelated to the 12 inch siege howitzers Mk II and IV.-Mark I:Mk I was introduced from March 1916...
produced by the Elswick Ordnance Company at the same time.
The Mk IV was a more powerful version with longer barrel produced from 1917.
Later models were used for British home defence in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Combat use
As with other large calibre weapons, it was operated by the Royal Garrison ArtilleryRoyal Garrison Artillery
The Royal Garrison Artillery was an arm of the Royal Artillery that was originally tasked with manning the guns of the British Empire's forts and fortresses, including coastal artillery batteries, the heavy gun batteries attached to each infantry division, and the guns of the siege...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
The 12 inch was dismantled and transported in 6 loads mounted on traction engine
Traction engine
A traction engine is a self-propelled steam engine used to move heavy loads on roads, plough ground or to provide power at a chosen location. The name derives from the Latin tractus, meaning 'drawn', since the prime function of any traction engine is to draw a load behind it...
wheels. It was then reassembled on its static siege mounting on top of a steel "holdfast", with 22 tons
Long ton
Long ton is the name for the unit called the "ton" in the avoirdupois or Imperial system of measurements, as used in the United Kingdom and several other Commonwealth countries. It has been mostly replaced by the tonne, and in the United States by the short ton...
of earth in a box sitting on the front of the holdfast in front of the gun, to counteract the kick of firing.
Ammunition
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See also
- List of siege artillery
- 305 mm howitzer M1915305 mm howitzer M1915305 mm howitzer M1915 was a Russian heavy howitzer.-See also:*List of siege artillery*BL 12 inch Howitzer British equivalent*Skoda 305 mm Model 1911 Austro-Hungarian equivalent...
Russian equivalent - Skoda 305 mm Model 1911Skoda 305 mm Model 1911The Škoda 30.5 cm Mörser M. 11 was a siege howitzer produced by Škoda Works and used by the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War I.-Development:...
Austro-Hungarian equivalent