BL 5.5-inch Mk I naval gun

BL 5.5-inch Mark I
One of HMS Chester's 5.5-inch guns at the Imperial War Museum, London[1]
Type Naval gun, Coastal defence
Place of origin UK
Service history
In service 1913–1954
Wars World War One
World War Two
Production history
Designer Coventry Ordnance Works
Designed 1913
Manufacturer Coventry Ordnance Works
No. built 81
Specifications
Weight 13,955 lbs (6,330 kg)[2]
Length 6.985 metres (275.0 in) bore (50 cal)
Shell 82 pounds (37.19 kg)
Calibre 5.5-inch (140 mm)
Breech Welin breech block with Holmstrom mechanism[3]
Elevation -7 degrees to +30 degrees depending on mount[2]
Rate of fire 12 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity 2,790 f/s (850 m/s)[2]
Effective firing range 16,250 m at 30-degree elevation

The Breech Loading 5.5-inch Mk I was a naval gun used by the British Royal Navy during both World Wars.

5.5-inch Mk I at National War Memorial Southern Command

This weapon was developed by Coventry Ordnance Works in 1913 and offered to the Greek Navy as main armament for two new cruisers building at Cammell Laird. On the outbreak Of World War I the two ships were purchased by Britain as HMS Chester and HMS Birkenhead. The RN was happy with the performance of the gun as it was significantly lighter than the standard 6 inch gun and fired an 82 lb shell rather than the 100 lb shell of the 6 inch weapon. It therefore had a higher rate of fire with little loss in hitting power. The British ordered more guns as secondary armament for HMS Furious and HMS Hood. A total of 81 guns were made and were used on the following ships: HMS Chester, HMS Birkenhead, HMS Furious, HMS Hood, and HMS Hermes.

Guns removed from Chester, Birkenhead and Furious were used to arm Armed Merchant cruisers: HMS Laurentic and HMS Montclare.

Coast defence gun

In 1940, the 5.5 inch guns were removed from HMS Hood in a refit. Two were installed in Hood Battery on Ascension Island and remain there today. A pair were installed in specially built casemates on the roof of Coalhouse Fort in Essex, overlooking the Thames.[4] Guns from the Hood also went to Bognor Regis, Pevensey, North Foreland, Dover and Folkestone.[5]

Notable actions

The gun Jack Cornwell served in his Victoria Cross action on the forecastle of HMS Chester

Boy Seaman First Class Jack Cornwell was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for heroism in serving his gun on HMS Chester during the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916.

British 5.5-inch naval gun from World War II at Skansin fortress, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

Surviving examples

See also

Weapons of comparable role, performance and era

Notes

  1. 1 2 Imperial War Museum (2012). "Naval BL 5.5 in Mk I Gun with Mk I pedestal mount". Imperial War Museum Collections Search. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 Campbell, Naval Weapons of WWII, p.40.
  3. ↑ Di Giulian
  4. ↑ English Heritage (2008). "PastScape: Coalhouse Fort". National Monuments Record: PastScape. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  5. ↑ HMS Hood Association (4 April 2010). "HMS Hood Technical Specifications & Armament Information: Secondary/Dual Purpose Guns". Retrieved 10 February 2012.

References

Bibliography

  • Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
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