The Field
Gun competition originated during the Second Boer War, in South
Africa, when the Royal Navy received a request from the Army, to
supply "a few naval guns" for the defence of Ladysmith. As
a result, two 4.7 inch guns were transferred from the cruiser, HMS
Terrible, to HMS Powerful, which took them to Durban. They were
landed there, in October, 1899 and together with four 12 pounders,
were transported, initially by rail and then on makeshift carriages
drawn by oxen and sailors of the Naval Landing Brigade, across some
very difficult terrain.
The siege of Ladysmith lasted 120
days, during which time, the naval guns kept the enemy at bay,
until the town was eventually relieved, in February, 1900. Later
that year, seamen of HMS Powerful brought a 4.7 inch gun into the
arena at the Royal Military Tournament, held in London, which
captured the imagination of the general public.
The Field Gun
competition evolved from this special display and every year 18 man
crews, originally from Chatham, Devonport and Portsmouth commands,
competed in the Field Gun competition, at the Royal Tournament, at
Earls Court, in London. With the closure of the Chatham navy base,
The Fleet Air Arm entered the competition, which was not for the
faint-hearted, as the 12 pounder gun and limber with a total weight
of around a ton, was dismantled by the crews and then manhandled
over and through sets of obstacles, in an effort to be first over
the finishing line.
Click the
course diagram below, to watch the 1978 Portsmouth Gun
Team in training.
From the
start line, the crews pulled the guns and limbers to the end of the
arena, where they turned and carried themselves and the equipment
over a 5 foot wall. The guns and limbers were than dismantled and
carried to the top of a ramp on the 'home side' of a 28 foot
'chasm.' The crew set a wire and a traveller so all 18 members of
the crew and their equipment could cross the chasm. The team and
equipment then passed through a 4 foot x 2 foot hole in the
'enemy wall' at the end of the arena. Each crew fired three rounds
to end the 'run out.' The average time for the 'run out,' was 85
seconds.
The second part of the competition, the 'run back,' involved the
crews taking all their equipment back over the 5 foot enemy wall
and then back across the chasm. Once all the home crew and
equipment, were back across the chasm, the wire and traveller were
dismantled and three more rounds were fired in a rear guard action.
The average time for the run back, was 65 seconds.
In the final stage, the 'Run Home,' men, guns and limbers passed
back through the hole in the wall and then the teams hooked up and
pulled for home. The average time for the 'Run Home,' was 21
seconds.
Click the image
below to watch the Gun Race at the 1998 Royal Tournament presented
by the delectable Davina McCall.
The
field gun competition was held annually, until 1999, when demands
on naval and other military man power, resulted in the demise of
the Royal Tournament.
Find
the co-ordinates and run out there and find it. Please be aware of
your surroundings and treat them accordingly.
Cache
stocked with Royal Navy branch / trade patches (please advise in
your log if these are running low) and a Bosun's Call for FTF.
Claimed by Mudsneaker.