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QF 4.5-inch howitzer
The Ordnance QF 4.5-inch howitzer was the standard British Empire field (or "light") howitzer of the First World War era. It replaced the BL 5-inch howitzer and equipped some 25% of the field artillery. It entered service in 1910 and remained in service through the interwar period and was last used in the field by British forces in early 1942. It was generally horse drawn until mechanisation in the 1930s.
The QF 4.5-inch (114 mm) howitzer was used by British and Commonwealth forces in most theatres, by Russia and by British troops in Russia in 1919. Its calibre and shell weight were greater than those of the equivalent German 105 mm field howitzer. France did not have an equivalent artillery piece. In the Second World War, it equipped some units of the British Expeditionary Force in France and British, Australian, New Zealand and South African batteries in East Africa and the Middle East and Far East.
During the Second Boer War (1899–1902), the British government realised its field artillery was being overtaken by the more modern "quick firing" guns and howitzers of other major powers. The Krupp field howitzers used by the Boers had particularly impressed the British. The usefulness of field howitzers and the need for them to form part of an infantry division's artillery were reinforced by reports from the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. In 1900, the British Cabinet ordered Field Marshal Lord Roberts, the commander-in-chief in South Africa, to send home artillery brigade and battery commanders "selected for their eminence and experience" to form an equipment committee. It was formed in January 1901 with wide-ranging terms of reference concerning artillery equipment from guns and howitzers to harness design and instruments. It was chaired by General Sir George Marshall, who had been artillery commander in South Africa.
The committee swiftly established requirements and invited proposals from British gun makers. None were satisfactory, and all compared poorly with a captured Krupp 12 cm howitzer. A purchase of Krupp howitzers was discussed, including visits to Essen. However, by 1905, the committee was sufficiently satisfied to recommend the production of trial equipments from ordnance factories, Armstrong, Vickers and the Coventry Ordnance Works (a joint venture by several Coventry engineering companies). Testing in 1906 showed the Coventry design was by far the most satisfactory and a battery's worth were ordered for trials. In 1908, after trials, the 4.5-inch howitzer was recommended for service, albeit with a shortened barrel.
The 4.5-inch howitzer was used on most fronts during the First World War. On the Western Front, its normal scale was one battery to every three batteries of 18-pounder field guns. Initially, 4.5-inch howitzers equipped a howitzer brigade of the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) in each infantry division. In the original British Expeditionary Force in 1914, this brigade had three batteries each with six howitzers. Subsequent batteries had only four howitzers. In 1916, all batteries on the Western Front began to be increased to six howitzers and, later that year, the howitzer brigades were disbanded and a howitzer battery added to each RFA field brigade as the fourth battery. This organisation continued between the wars.
The weapon remained in service during the inter-war period and was used in various campaigns. Apart from changes to its ammunition, the howitzer itself remained unchanged except for carriage modifications to enable mechanisation.
During the Second World War, they served with the British Expeditionary Force in France. Although many were lost, they were the most widely available artillery piece until QF 25-pounder gun-howitzer production developed. They were used in the Middle East and Far East theatres as well as for training. They were gradually replaced by the 25-pounder.
QF stands for "quick firing", a British term for ordnance that fires ammunition with a metal (usually brass) cartridge case containing the propellant charge. The cartridge case also provides obturation (sealing of the chamber). This howitzer was the largest calibre of British QF field artillery ordnance.
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QF 4.5-inch howitzer AI simulator
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QF 4.5-inch howitzer
The Ordnance QF 4.5-inch howitzer was the standard British Empire field (or "light") howitzer of the First World War era. It replaced the BL 5-inch howitzer and equipped some 25% of the field artillery. It entered service in 1910 and remained in service through the interwar period and was last used in the field by British forces in early 1942. It was generally horse drawn until mechanisation in the 1930s.
The QF 4.5-inch (114 mm) howitzer was used by British and Commonwealth forces in most theatres, by Russia and by British troops in Russia in 1919. Its calibre and shell weight were greater than those of the equivalent German 105 mm field howitzer. France did not have an equivalent artillery piece. In the Second World War, it equipped some units of the British Expeditionary Force in France and British, Australian, New Zealand and South African batteries in East Africa and the Middle East and Far East.
During the Second Boer War (1899–1902), the British government realised its field artillery was being overtaken by the more modern "quick firing" guns and howitzers of other major powers. The Krupp field howitzers used by the Boers had particularly impressed the British. The usefulness of field howitzers and the need for them to form part of an infantry division's artillery were reinforced by reports from the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. In 1900, the British Cabinet ordered Field Marshal Lord Roberts, the commander-in-chief in South Africa, to send home artillery brigade and battery commanders "selected for their eminence and experience" to form an equipment committee. It was formed in January 1901 with wide-ranging terms of reference concerning artillery equipment from guns and howitzers to harness design and instruments. It was chaired by General Sir George Marshall, who had been artillery commander in South Africa.
The committee swiftly established requirements and invited proposals from British gun makers. None were satisfactory, and all compared poorly with a captured Krupp 12 cm howitzer. A purchase of Krupp howitzers was discussed, including visits to Essen. However, by 1905, the committee was sufficiently satisfied to recommend the production of trial equipments from ordnance factories, Armstrong, Vickers and the Coventry Ordnance Works (a joint venture by several Coventry engineering companies). Testing in 1906 showed the Coventry design was by far the most satisfactory and a battery's worth were ordered for trials. In 1908, after trials, the 4.5-inch howitzer was recommended for service, albeit with a shortened barrel.
The 4.5-inch howitzer was used on most fronts during the First World War. On the Western Front, its normal scale was one battery to every three batteries of 18-pounder field guns. Initially, 4.5-inch howitzers equipped a howitzer brigade of the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) in each infantry division. In the original British Expeditionary Force in 1914, this brigade had three batteries each with six howitzers. Subsequent batteries had only four howitzers. In 1916, all batteries on the Western Front began to be increased to six howitzers and, later that year, the howitzer brigades were disbanded and a howitzer battery added to each RFA field brigade as the fourth battery. This organisation continued between the wars.
The weapon remained in service during the inter-war period and was used in various campaigns. Apart from changes to its ammunition, the howitzer itself remained unchanged except for carriage modifications to enable mechanisation.
During the Second World War, they served with the British Expeditionary Force in France. Although many were lost, they were the most widely available artillery piece until QF 25-pounder gun-howitzer production developed. They were used in the Middle East and Far East theatres as well as for training. They were gradually replaced by the 25-pounder.
QF stands for "quick firing", a British term for ordnance that fires ammunition with a metal (usually brass) cartridge case containing the propellant charge. The cartridge case also provides obturation (sealing of the chamber). This howitzer was the largest calibre of British QF field artillery ordnance.