Latest topics | » H.M.S. ForesterToday at 4:07 pm by johnex » Royal Marine Light Infantry, ChathamToday at 3:45 pm by johnex » Colonel Edward William Bray, 2nd/4th Regt.Yesterday at 8:49 pm by John Young » Did Ntishingwayo really not know Lord C wasn't at home Yesterday at 10:53 am by Julian Whybra » Samuel PoppleYesterday at 8:43 am by STEPHEN JAMES » Studies in the Zulu War volume VI now availableSat Nov 09, 2024 6:38 pm by Julian Whybra » Colonel Charles Knight PearsonFri Nov 08, 2024 5:56 pm by LincolnJDH » Grave of Henry SpaldingThu Nov 07, 2024 8:10 pm by 1879graves » John West at KambulaThu Nov 07, 2024 5:25 pm by MKalny15 » Private Frederick Evans 2/24thSun Nov 03, 2024 8:12 pm by Dash » How to find medal entitlement CokerSun Nov 03, 2024 10:51 am by Kev T » Isandlwana Casualty - McCathie/McCarthySat Nov 02, 2024 1:40 pm by Julian Whybra » William Jones CommentFri Nov 01, 2024 6:07 pm by Eddie » Brother of Lt YoungFri Nov 01, 2024 5:13 pm by Eddie » Frederick Marsh - HMS TenedosFri Nov 01, 2024 9:48 am by lydenburg » Mr Spiers KIA iSandlwana ?Fri Nov 01, 2024 7:50 am by Julian Whybra » Isandhlwana unaccounted for casualtiesFri Nov 01, 2024 7:48 am by Julian Whybra » Thrupps report to Surgeon General Wolfies Thu Oct 31, 2024 12:32 pm by Julian Whybra » Absence of Vereker from Snook's BookFri Oct 25, 2024 10:59 pm by Julian Whybra » Another Actor related to the Degacher-Hitchcock familyMon Oct 21, 2024 1:07 pm by Stefaan » No. 799 George Williams and his son-in-law No. 243 Thomas NewmanSat Oct 19, 2024 12:36 pm by Dash » Alphonse de Neuville- Painting the Defence of Rorke's DriftFri Oct 18, 2024 8:34 am by Stefaan » Studies in the Zulu War volumesWed Oct 16, 2024 3:26 pm by Julian Whybra » Martini Henry carbine IC1 markingsMon Oct 14, 2024 10:48 pm by Parkerbloggs » James Conner 1879 claspMon Oct 14, 2024 7:12 pm by Kenny » 80th REG of Foot (Staffords)Sun Oct 13, 2024 9:07 pm by shadeswolf » Frontier Light Horse uniformSun Oct 13, 2024 8:12 pm by Schlaumeier » Gelsthorpe, G. 1374 Private 1/24th / Scott, Sidney W. 521 Private 1/24thSun Oct 13, 2024 1:00 pm by Dash » A Bullet BibleSat Oct 12, 2024 8:33 am by Julian Whybra » Brothers SearsFri Oct 11, 2024 7:17 pm by Eddie » Zulu War Medal MHS TamarFri Oct 11, 2024 3:48 pm by philip c » Ford Park Cemetery, Plymouth.Tue Oct 08, 2024 4:15 pm by rai » Shipping - transport in the AZWSun Oct 06, 2024 10:47 pm by Bill8183 » 1879 South Africa Medal named 1879 BARSun Oct 06, 2024 12:41 pm by Dash » A note on Captain Norris Edward Davey, Natal Volunteer Staff.Sun Oct 06, 2024 12:16 pm by Julian Whybra |
November 2024 | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
---|
| | | | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | | Calendar |
|
Top posting users this month | |
Zero tolerance to harassment and bullying. |
Due to recent events on this forum, we have now imposed a zero tolerance to harassment and bullying. All reports will be treated seriously, and will lead to a permanent ban of both membership and IP address.
Any member blatantly corresponding in a deliberate and provoking manner will be removed from the forum as quickly as possible after the event.
If any members are being harassed behind the scenes PM facility by any member/s here at 1879zuluwar.com please do not hesitate to forward the offending text.
We are all here to communicate and enjoy the various discussions and information on the Anglo Zulu War of 1879. Opinions will vary, you will agree and disagree with one another, we will have debates, and so it goes.
There is no excuse for harassment or bullying of anyone by another person on this site.
The above applies to the main frame areas of the forum.
The ring which is the last section on the forum, is available to those members who wish to partake in slagging matches. That section cannot be viewed by guests and only viewed by members that wish to do so. |
Fair Use Notice | Fair use notice.
This website may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorised by the copyright owner.
We are making such material and images are available in our efforts to advance the understanding of the “Anglo Zulu War of 1879. For educational & recreational purposes.
We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material, as provided for in UK copyright law. The information is purely for educational and research purposes only. No profit is made from any part of this website.
If you hold the copyright on any material on the site, or material refers to you, and you would like it to be removed, please let us know and we will work with you to reach a resolution. |
|
| Artillery supplies | |
| | Author | Message |
---|
Ray63
Posts : 705 Join date : 2012-05-05
| Subject: Artillery supplies Sun May 18, 2014 10:32 am | |
| What supplies did the artillery have when on the march. We see Lieutenant-Colonel Harness, Royal Artillery. Being order not to return to Isandlwana, but to stick to his original order. What impact would Harness have had if he had returned. Would he have had enough supplies ie shells. Powder ect. To have held his ground if attacked.? Did the Artillery crews have MH rifles? |
| | | John Young
Posts : 3315 Join date : 2013-09-08 Age : 68 Location : Слава Україні! Героям слава!
| Subject: Re: Artillery supplies Sun May 18, 2014 4:07 pm | |
| Ray63, I'll answer your last question. Twelve 0.577 Snider carbines per-battery, so two carbines for each cannon of the battery so to speak. In addition there were seventy-four sword bayonets. Not quite enough for a battery-strength of what should have amounted to a hundred & sixty-seven other-ranks. To my knowledge there were no pistols or swords worn by the other-ranks of the battery, with the possible exception of the battery's Serjeant-Major & the Quartermaster Serjeant. I believe the events of Isandlwana changed that though. Details of the number of shells carried on the limber can be found on [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]John Y. |
| | | Ray63
Posts : 705 Join date : 2012-05-05
| Subject: Re: Artillery supplies Sun May 18, 2014 10:29 pm | |
| John thanks for the quick reply. Do we know what range the guns had.? |
| | | barry
Posts : 947 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay
| Subject: Range ,RML 7 and 9 pounders Mon May 19, 2014 6:10 am | |
| Hi Ray63, These cannon used in the AZW by the RA , the RML 7 and 9 pounders had an effective range of 3000 and 3100 yards respectively. The range may have varied a little, depending on the type of shell used. The AZW started with the RML 7 in use, but that was was changed, as the war advanced, with the introduction of the heavier RML 9's. These were mostly borrowed from the RN ( eg HMS Boadecia) on which improvised carriages were used. The carriage of the RML7, originaly intended as a mountain gun, was modified for South African use. The design changes included the fitting of larger diameter wheels on the carriage, thus giving an increase in height to improve ground clearance.
regards
barry
PS : The construction of the barrels in the early guns was interesting in that there were three parts to it including a twisted steel forging ( much like the Damascus barrel shotguns) comprising the mid section and an outer tube enclosing it. Rifling was three groove in the inner tube.
Last edited by barry on Tue May 20, 2014 6:38 am; edited 1 time in total |
| | | 24th
Posts : 1862 Join date : 2009-03-25
| Subject: Re: Artillery supplies Mon May 19, 2014 9:06 am | |
| There are quite a few letters from soldiers that returned to Isandlwana in the aftermath. Some say they re-took the camp, cannons clearing the ground ahead. Would this have been the case or had the Zulu left the camp Prior to there arrival? |
| | | barry
Posts : 947 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay
| Subject: Clearing the camp Mon May 19, 2014 9:31 am | |
| Hi 24th, It is recorded that when Chelmsford returned to the camp on the afternoon of the disaster that the RA's RML 7 cannon were used and three or four shots were fired into the camp. As it was already dark when this happened the efficacy is in question, so in my mind the short cannon fusillade would hardly have cleared anything and really only served to make a lot of noise. The few Zulu's who were left in the camp at that time were probably too intoxicated to move, who, in their orgy of pillage and destruction had cleared out the Brigade Surgeons tent and drank demijohns of surgical spirit and anti-septic carbolic solution. So, the enemy opposition remaining then was about nil ,.... if they were still bipedal and/ or compus mentus. However , before going in, Chelmsford did rally the troops telling them to fix bayonets and do the good thing. All too late however, as the Impi had already departed .
regards
barry
Last edited by barry on Tue May 20, 2014 6:41 am; edited 2 times in total |
| | | 24th
Posts : 1862 Join date : 2009-03-25
| Subject: Re: Artillery supplies Mon May 19, 2014 6:14 pm | |
| Do we know exactly what these Zulu's were supposed to have drunk, surgical spirit wouldn't kill you, you would vomit before any harm was done! I read that some drank ink. Are we saying that the British didn't have water supplies in the camp. |
| | | John Young
Posts : 3315 Join date : 2013-09-08 Age : 68 Location : Слава Україні! Героям слава!
| Subject: Re: Artillery supplies Mon May 19, 2014 10:29 pm | |
| The two recovered cannon of N Battery, 5th Brigade, Royal Artillery back under the Union Flag. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]The recovered cannon of N/5, photographed early September 1879 at Ulundi. John Young Collection.Charles Norris-Newman describes the firing of the four remaining cannon in his book: - C. L. Norris-Newman wrote:
- ...At a distance of within a mile, where the ground rose to the site of the camp, we could see, by the shadows against the horizon, on the top of the neck of land, where our road ran back to the Bashee Valley, and so on to Rorke's Drift, that the enemy had dragged numerous waggons, so as to place a sort of barrier across our only road back. And from behind this we thought we could hear the hoarse cries of the enemy, and the rattle of their knob-kerries and assegais against their shields. A halt was therefore made to allow the guns to pour four rounds of shrapnel into the barricade, when the advance was resumed. ...
John Y. |
| | | littlehand
Posts : 7076 Join date : 2009-04-24 Age : 56 Location : Down South.
| Subject: Re: Artillery supplies Mon May 19, 2014 10:49 pm | |
| Why did I expect the barrels to be larger? They hardly look man enough to cause enough damage to turn the enemy. |
| | | barry
Posts : 947 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay
| Subject: The RML 7 Thu May 22, 2014 2:25 pm | |
| Hi Littlehand, Agreed, the fitting of larger wheels made the already puny weapon look more ridiculous. However ,it was originally designed as a mountain gun and kept small for hauling around high places, but it was totaly inadeqaute for the task in SA. So, once the wheels were changed the trail and the spade were also modded, making it a real ugly duckling. It was however soon replaced by the RML 9, its big brother.
regards
barry |
| | | Mr M. Cooper
Posts : 2591 Join date : 2011-09-29 Location : Lancashire, England.
| Subject: Re: Artillery supplies Thu May 22, 2014 3:18 pm | |
| Hi Barry. I seem to remember reading that the larger wheels were fitted for haulage through long grass, but they do look a bit odd with such a small weapon. Hope your keeping well mate. |
| | | Saul David 1879
Posts : 527 Join date : 2009-02-28
| Subject: Re: Artillery supplies Thu May 22, 2014 8:36 pm | |
| |
| | | Guest Guest
| Subject: Re: Artillery supplies Thu May 22, 2014 8:50 pm | |
| it might be me, but the prices seem cheaper than the uk!. thanks for that. |
| | | barry
Posts : 947 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay
| Subject: RML 7pounder wheels Fri May 23, 2014 4:18 am | |
| Hi Saul, Thanks for that. The diameter of these original wheels, being 36 inches means that the axle tree was less than 18inches off the ground. That well illustrates the unsuitablilty of the RML7 carriage , as originally designed, for SA conditions .
regards
barry |
| | | | Artillery supplies | |
|
Similar topics | |
|
| Permissions in this forum: | You cannot reply to topics in this forum
| |
| |
| |