THE BRITISH ARMY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 249, 2 August 1937, Page 8

THE BRITISH ARMY

DISPLAY FOR VISITORS. MECHANISATION SHOWN. Pirbright recently was tlio centre of military attraction for the overseas contingents, says a special correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian.’ ’ The Indian and Burmeso officers whom I. accompanied on a comprehensive tour of inspection of the latest field guns, mortars, anti-tank guns, and tractors were enthusiastic in their praise of the way the mechanisation of the army is progressing. In a short speech before the inspection General Sir Francis Gatliorne Hardy, Commander-in-Chief, Aidershot, said that the re-armament and mechanisation were not the result of a sudden crisis, hut that for many, years experiments had been going on. The moment they were satisfied that the advances were on the right lines the manufacturers had gone into production. When completed, as it would bo in a, year or two, the equipment of the British Army would be the best in the world. The exhibits which excited most admiration amongst the Indians were the new three-man tanks and the short 3.7 howitzers. The tanks, in addition to carrying .3 and .5 machine-guns and a single-shot anti-tank gun have at each side a special smoke projector which fires a smoko shell to cover* the movements of the tank from tha enemy. The speed attained by these tanks is between 50 and 60 miles per hour in open ground, and they are designed to navigate steep inclines without any danger of tipping over. For each section of five tanks there are two transport carriers, each capable of loading six or eight men. These are made necessary for servicing and overhauling the tanks. “Most Accurate in World.” The 3.7 howitzer is an entirely new type, and is claimed to he the most accurate gun in the world. The range is 6000 yards and high-explosive, 9molce and shrapnel shells aro supplied. It is drawn by a powerful tractor which over rough country, can maintain a speed of 25 miles an hour with fill l load of gun and munition limber. Another interesting exhibit which proved particularly attractive to those officers who served in the war was a 3-in mortar, a modern version of the original Stokes gun. This weapon in its new form fires a 101 b shell 1500 y r ards, the “shell being propelled by a cartridge of low-explosive inserted in its base. The shell is fed into the mouth of the mortar and slides down the barrel to the base, where the cap of the expelling cartridge hits the fixed striker pin. Strong men are required for transporting the gun into position, each has to carry 901 b. It is claimed that between 35 and 40 rounds a minute can bo fired by experts. In the war time form the Stokes gun fired a 15.51 b shell, and both percussion and time-fuse shells were used up to a range of 500 yards. Now, however, a different type of percus- 1 sion shell is fired with a novel safety device, and it is fitted with wind vanes similar to those of an aerial bomb. The guns will be used by single platoons in rifle battalions. A valuable field gun has been produced by reboring and lining the old eighteen-pounder. The shell weighs 251 b and the maximum range, according to the type of shell fired, highexplosive or smoke, is between 12,000 and 13,5000 yards. Experiments with a new typo of smoke shell for use witii this gun have proved very successful. With- improved sights and easier con trol the redesigned gun is claimed to be twice as accurate as the old eigh-teen-pounder. Other heavy exhibits were a com-, plete pontoon constructor with scctionalised floats and plank roadway. A Lively Display. The speed with which anti-tank guns can bo brought into action was one of the liveliest features of the display. The two-poundor is pulled by a fast light tractor and is mounted on its own wheels. On stopping the crew dismounts, and within six seconds the gunlegs are extended, the wheels clicked up, and the gun, ready for action, is resting securely, on the ground. The Indian and Burmese officers were anxious to tako trips in the tractors for these anti-tank guns and hose for lie 3.7 howizers. Over particularly rough ground, travelling at well over 20 miles n.n hour, both the munition limber and the gun would sometimes be clear 'if the ground. Yet, with a fairly flexible drive and good springing, the units came to no harm. In the experimental section there was a noteworthy exhibit —a fast reconnaissance armoured car with which some of the cavalry regiments are to bo equipped. This is not intended, as an offensive weapon, hut is meant to he used for lightning reconnaissance raids into enemy territory, and is armed with a. pom-pom gun and one of the new Bren machine-guns. The car is equipped with wireless and is produced at a cost approximately onethird of that of previous armoured cars, which were of much heavier type. The demonstrations lasted all day, with the Newfoundland, Australian, and New Zealand contingents making their inspection in the afternoon.