TOPIC:

This request comes from a true expert himself, who writes: "I have positively identified all the guns of the Boer War, except one... The little gun on the photo was used by the Natal Field Artillery, but I have no documentation on it. I suspect its a 37mm Hotchkiss or similar, but can't prove it. If ever you run into an expert, please ask!"

Anyone able to make a positive identification?

Hi Rob
You have certainly posted a brain teaser with this artillery piece.
You mention a Hotchkiss 37mm. It certainly looks like a mountain gun of some description. I wondered if it was a RML 2.5 inch which has been customised onto a different cradle. Alas I think the calibre on the image is smaller than 2.5 inch.
Not sure if artillery pieces were regularly customised, but looking closer at the gun it looks like it is tied onto the cradle?
Either way, I can see why your expert hasn't identified this enigma.

It is different to this picture of a mountain gun captured at Nicholson's Nek

Following on from the last picture, this is how the mountain guns were dismantled, moved and, sometimes, stampeded.


The breech


The chase


The carriage


Pioneer and tools


The wheels

Interested Forum members
I can by no means consider myself as an expert on artillery; however the initial pic looks to me like the Hotchkiss illustrated in WFTP Vol. 1 page 35.

It is difficult to guess the illustrated gun's bore due to the perspective of its muzzle as against the man behind it. However, "The History of the Royal Artillery" by Headlam (Appendix shown) lists a three-pounder Hotchkiss QF gun and an entry on p325 of the same work says that two 3 pounder Hotchkiss were in use by the (Natal) Naval Volunteers.

The initial pic is not a mountain gun. Some years ago, I illustrated a pair of Mountain Guns in place in Hobart and the barrel layout is quite different. For example, the Mountain Gun's sight is mounted on the carriage; whereas the initial pic's sight is on the muzzle.
There is a post on this site which mentions the 3 pounder Hotchkiss guns being in use during the Ladysmith siege.
Anyway, my best guess is that the initial pic illustrates the business end of a 3 pounder Hotchkiss Quick Firer gun.
Regards
IL.

The riveted metal carriage is certainly very similar, showing the same spacing where the rivets are not doubled up for reinforcement.