Interwar Vickers Medium Tank Mk2

Great big 1930s artillery tractors are gorgeous too, and deserve a book on their own. How large was the crew of a single gun ?

 

Now take that tank, build the sides up, flatten the engine and stick a turret on it. What do you get?

I saw an image in an old Fletcher article in a magazine many moons ago which showed something like a Dragon with the sides built up. looked rather like a Vickers medium.

 

The book has been written. Moving the Guns: The Mechnisation of the Royal Artillery 1854 to 1939.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Moving-Guns-Mechanisation-Artillery-1854-1939/dp/0112904777

The 60 pounder and 6 inch 26 cwt Howitzer each had a detachment of ten men.

 

I can see eleven in that photograph.Someone along for the ride ?

 

The horse-holder ?

 

The men who looked after the horses were called Drivers, which is probably the rank and job of the eleventh man. The Dragon might also be carrying a supernumerary such as the Section commander.

There is a much repeated anecdote about the British army introducing a new field gun after the Second World War. The artillery piece is demonstrated and all the gun numbers have a job except for one man who appears to do nothing. A member of the audience asks what is his job - the horse Holder. This was included in educational material for masters degree in Business Administration as an humorous example of the resistance to change in business processes. The real story is that the L118 Light Gun can be operated with a detachment of four, although the official detachment is six. However, in the Falklands war infantyrmen had to be attached to the artillery in order to help the Gunners maintain the rate of fire, as the work of carrying ammunition to the guns.

 

Tank Crews In Training



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1929

Defence: Army Manoeuvres On Salisbury Plain

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-- x --

 

The "Gun Crew" all appear to have a light coloured band (white?) round their caps. I suggest they are Officer Cadets out on training and not a normal gun crew.

 

So we had NIMBYs even then.

 

Gerrorf moi common !