One ofeightBritishheavyguns 60 pdr Mk Iin Serbia1915thyear.Of them is formed four batteriesbytwogunto fight with themonitors inand around Belgrade.This gunandmost othersfell intoGermanhands in October 1915thin Nish.
Batteriescommanded bySerbian officersfor whom theadmiral Troubridgewrittenspecialinstructionsto shoot themonitorandother river vessels.
-- Edited by nebojsa djokic on Monday 2nd of April 2012 12:32:29 PM
-- Edited by nebojsa djokic on Monday 2nd of April 2012 12:33:26 PM
The photo is of a British 4.7"/120mm. gun = the more formalised successor to the Scott Boer war guns. These were replaced by the M04 60pdr./127mm. However due to the unprecedented requirements of WW1 saw widespread service early war - due to being badly worn / clapped out gaining a reputation for inaccuracy & poor ranging. 8 guns + a handful of 'crew' (the reports I have seen give various numbers. But all around 20 men) being sent in support of the Serbians early 1915 - transported using ox teams & with considerable difficulty from Montenegro over the mountains. Emplaced as 'coastal' guns' covering the Danube (possibly due to their lack of mobility,crews or support & the Serbians didnt know what to do with them). The Central powers attack September 1915 swept over them & they disapear.
The guns were transported by train from Thessaloniki to Mladenovac and Ralja (50 and 30 km from Belgrade). From Mladenovac (or Ralja) to Belgrade oxen-drawn guns. Cannons were very successful, not only against ships but also against enemy artillery. Their main target was the Austro-Hungarian siege BL artillery (guns and howitzer) 12 and 15 cm. In 1915th before october austro hungarian siege artillery around Belgrade had very few modern heavy guns and howitzer (QF).
Thank you for the correction & extra information and my apologies for the misleading data - drawn from contempory and vary biased / propaganda news reports. These being as is usual with such,rather variable and generaly not known for their accuracy.
Thought I might bring this tread up again to include a photo. From a German period magazine depicting Serbian soldiers and Royal Naval personnel man-handling the guns into position.
