British and Dominion forces serving in the most remote theatres relied on diminutive artillery pieces to support them. Rob L angham profiles the valuable pack guns that served where no others could
With an empire stretching from South Africa’s veldt to far-flung islands, it is no surprise the British Army encountered rugged or mountainous terrain wherever it deployed. Those serving in its most remote outposts struggled to field supporting arms, with even the 6-pounder 3wt cannon introduced in 1858 proving cumbersome.
The difficulties of moving and emplacing artillery across treacherous topography demanded a special weapon. For Britain, this was a process that would take decades. It was not the only power to engineer a solution, either. Indeed Greece was first, and by World War One several nations had mountain guns in service.
