British 60 pounder

The British 60 Pounder gun was one of the most important artillery weapons used by the British Army during World War One.

The British 60 pounder was first designed in 1904 and was built by the Elswick Ordnance Company. During the war, it was used across many of the main theatres and replaced the inferior 4.7 inch guns. Each infantry division had four heavy battery guns at the start of the war, but as their effectiveness became apparent this number was increased to six. However, they had moved from being part of infantry divisions to having divisions in their own right - these were known as Heavy Artillery Groups.

The gun featured a quick-firing recoil that ensured it remained in place after firing. This reduced the time it took to reload and ensured continued accuracy. The British 60 pounder was such as success, in fact, that it was still being used when World War Two broke out in 1939.

Facts:

• By the end of the war, 1,000 60 pounder guns had been made for the British Army
• It required twelve horses to move it
• It had a 5 inch (12.7cm) calibre
• It weighed four tons (4,470kg)
• It had a range of 11,611 metres and fired a shell that weighed 60 pounds