Field gun competition
Encyclopedia
The Royal Navy's field gun competition is a contest between teams from various Royal Navy commands, in which teams of sailors compete to transport a field gun
and its equipment over and through a series of obstacles in the shortest time. The competition evolved during the first 6 years of the 20th century. The format, using walls and a chasm to negotiate, was held annually at the Royal Tournament
in London from 1907 until 1999, apart from the periods during the World Wars. The "Inter-Port", or Command Competition was contested by teams from the Royal Navy
annually, and was probably the most popular item at the Royal Tournament.
The "Brickwoods" Field Gun competition also ran from 1907, after the Brickwoods Brewery donated a magnificent Trophy to the Royal Navy. This competition involving no obstacles, on a flat track, continues to be competed for on an annual basis at HMS Collingwood.
The 2011 competition will be held at HMS Collingwood Open Day on the 4th of June.
Currently only Wellington College and Portsmouth Action Field Gun Crews run the 'command' style of Field Gun Run.
in South Africa
. The legendary story tells of the siege
of the British garrison in the township
of Ladysmith
in 1899. In support of the British Army
, the Royal Navy landed guns
from HMS Terrible
and Powerful
to help in the relief of the siege. The Naval Brigade
transported guns over difficult terrain and brought them into action against the Boer
s.
The Royal Navy landed two 4.7 inches (11.9 cm) guns and four 12-pounder
naval guns creating improvised field guns using make shift gun carriages. The guns were transported inland by rail and then drawn on makeshift carriages by oxen. For the final part of the journey, sailors from the Naval Brigade manhandled the guns over very difficult terrain. One story tells of sailors carrying one of the 12-pounder guns for 2 miles (3.2 km) after one of the wheels collapsed.
The siege of Ladysmith lasted for 120 days until February 1900. On their return home, the sailors from the Naval Brigade paraded their guns through London and appeared at the Royal Naval and Military Tournament at the Agricultural Hall, Islington. Displays of field gun drill continued in subsequent years.
A precursor to the competition lay in the presentation of Field Gun 'Evolutions' including one performed by Miss Weston’s Naval Boy’s Brigade from Portsmouth at the Royal Albert Hall on 21 October 1905 as part of the Centenary Commemoration of the Battle of Trafalgar. A film clip of this evolution survives from the period http://mcs.open.ac.uk/dac3/ournavy/clips/clip14.rm (requires Real Player) which was filmed by Alfred J West for his popular 'Our Navy' http://www.ournavy.org.uk film presentations in the early 1900s.
The Interport Field Gun competition was established in 1907 and was a highlight of the Royal Tournament
until the Last Run in 1999.
Information on the period 1908 to 1922 is scanty, but it seems that apart from the periods of war the Brickwood Trophy was competed for each year. There have been many changes to the competition. The 1907 challenge involved a team of 17 scaling a 5 feet (1.5 m) obstacle on a 75 yards (68.6 m) course and returning. In 1947 the course consisted of seven "very stiff obstacles" over a distance of 440 yards (402.3 m) each way. Today 18 strong teams compete over an 85 yards (77.7 m) flat track, a total run of 170 yards (155.4 m).
The "Brickwoods" trophy itself is a reproduction in silver of a 12-pounder
field gun and a gun crew of seven sailors. The names of the winners of the trophy are engraved on small shields up to and including 1961 and plates for winners since 1962. Originally mounted on a black ebony stand, this was replaced in 1961 by the current polished wooden base. At this time the winners shields transferred to the new mounting, although not in the same order as they had appeared on the previous stand.
The original stipulation by Brickwood that the trophy was only open to teams from within Portsmouth continued until 1975 when the competition was widened to include bases from around the country. The trophy left Portsmouth Command for the first time in 1978 as a result of HMS Fisgard's win. HMS Gannet's win in 1997 took the trophy to Scotland for the first time.
Before the First World War the competition was moved from the RN Barracks to Whale Island, where it continued until 1973; the following year it transferred to HMS Collingwood, its famously large parade ground reputed to have once held as many as 8,000 ratings is the perfect setting for the event.
HMS Collingwood itself has had a good record in the competition, having won the Brickwood Trophy 16 times between 1957 and 2006. Records for completing the course have continued to be broken. The Royal Marines set a new record in 1924 of 1 minute 24.4 seconds. This was exceeded in seven subsequent years and eventually in 1938 HMS Excellent achieved 1 minute 13.4 seconds. After the war, with a different course and drill, Victoria Barracks achieved 1 minute 27.4 seconds in 1954. HMS Collingwood cut that to 1 minute 26.8 seconds in 1962.
The record was lowered to 1 minute 19.4 seconds by HMS Daedalus in 1988. HMS Collingwood beat this by running a time of 1 minute 18.8 seconds in 2001.
Brickwood maintained a close interest in the competition over the years. In 1969 Sir Rupert Brickwood Bart presented the trophy and tankards and a firkin of Brickwood's beer to the winning team. In 1971 Brickwood's business was acquired by London-based brewers Whitbread & Co Ltd:
After a century this spectacle of toughness, courage, discipline and teamwork is still going strong.
, Devonport
and the Fleet Air Arm
(although teams from Chatham
and the Royal Marines
have also competed). At each performance of the Royal Tournament
, two crews competed to transport a 12 pounder field gun
and limber over a series of obstacles.
From the start line in front of the Royal Box, 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 feet (1.5 m) wall. The guns and limbers were then dismantled and carried to the top of a ramp on the "home side" of a 28 feet (8.5 m) "chasm". The crew set up a wire and traveller so all 18 members of the crew and their equipment could cross the chasm. The team and equipment then passed through a hole in the "enemy wall" at the end of the arena. Each crew then 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 feet (1.5 m) enemy wall and then back across the chasm. Once all the crew and equipment were back on the home side of 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 60 seconds.
In the final stage, the "Run Home", men, guns and limbers passed back through the hole in the home wall and then the teams "hook up and pull for home". The clock was stopped as the teams crossed back over the start line. The average time for the "Run Home" was 21 seconds. To the reader - this is Command Field Gun, not Brickwoods Field Gun.
Brickwood Field Gun
The competition simulates the drill which would have been undertaken to bring a naval field gun into action during the march to Ladysmith.
1st Advance, 1st Wheel Change: The limber is lifted, its wheels and drag ropes are shipped and it is run forward. The gun wheels are exchanged with the limber wheels. The gun and wheels are heavy! The gun is brought to the back of the limber and connected, then both are run forward.
2nd Advance, 1st Action: The gun is unhooked and the limber is run to the 70-yard line, where it is turned or spun to face the start; its wheels are removed, and it is dropped to the ground. The gun is run to the end of the track, turned and stopped. The gun is fired three times, each shell being run to the gun from the limber by the fastest man in the crew.
1st Retire, 2nd Wheel: The limber wheels are shipped, and it is run back and hooked to the gun. Both are then run towards the start, stopped and lifted together to exchange wheels. This is the heaviest lift of all, and life gets very difficult if the gear is dropped.
2nd Retire, 2nd Action: Gun and limber are run towards the start line, separated and stopped. The gun is fired three times as quickly as possible.
3rd Retire and Finish: The limber is run back and hooked to the gun, then every member of the crew strains to accelerate the gear over the finish line. This is not the best time to fall in front of the gear, because it is very heavy and cannot be stopped.
Result:
Time penalties are added to the running time for each contravention of the rules, which are published each year under the title "Royal Navy Field Gun Instructions (RNFGI)". There are 38 possible contraventions defined that carry a time penalty ranging from 1 to 6 seconds. These are applied as appropriate to each team upon completion of the drill by the event's Chief Judge.
The track is 85 yards (77.7 m) long, which means a total run of 170 yards (155.4 m).
Field gun
A field gun is an artillery piece. Originally the term referred to smaller guns that could accompany a field army on the march and when in combat could be moved about the battlefield in response to changing circumstances, as to opposed guns installed in a fort, or to siege cannon or mortars which...
and its equipment over and through a series of obstacles in the shortest time. The competition evolved during the first 6 years of the 20th century. The format, using walls and a chasm to negotiate, was held annually at the Royal Tournament
Royal Tournament
The Royal Tournament was the World's largest military tattoo and pageant, held by the British Armed Forces annually between 1880 and 1999. The venue was originally the Royal Agricultural Hall and latterly the Earls Court Exhibition Centre...
in London from 1907 until 1999, apart from the periods during the World Wars. The "Inter-Port", or Command Competition was contested by teams from the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
annually, and was probably the most popular item at the Royal Tournament.
The "Brickwoods" Field Gun competition also ran from 1907, after the Brickwoods Brewery donated a magnificent Trophy to the Royal Navy. This competition involving no obstacles, on a flat track, continues to be competed for on an annual basis at HMS Collingwood.
The 2011 competition will be held at HMS Collingwood Open Day on the 4th of June.
Currently only Wellington College and Portsmouth Action Field Gun Crews run the 'command' style of Field Gun Run.
Origins
The origins of the field gun competition lie in the Second Boer WarSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. The legendary story tells of the siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
of the British garrison in the township
Township (South Africa)
In South Africa, the term township and location usually refers to the urban living areas that, from the late 19th century until the end of Apartheid, were reserved for non-whites . Townships were usually built on the periphery of towns and cities...
of Ladysmith
Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal
Ladysmith is a city in the Uthukela District of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is north-west of Durban and south of Johannesburg. Important industries in the area include food processing, textile and tyre production...
in 1899. In support of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, the Royal Navy landed guns
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
from HMS Terrible
HMS Terrible (1895)
HMS Terrible was a ship of the Powerful-class of protected cruiser in the Royal Navy.-Terrible 1898 Trials:* 60 hours at 1/5 power 5084 ihp = * 68 hours at 2/5 power = * 60 hours at 3/5 power = * 60 hours at 3/4 power =...
and Powerful
HMS Powerful (1895)
HMS Powerful was a ship of the Powerful-class of protected cruiser in the Royal Navy.-Career:She was built by Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness and launched on 24 July 1895 by the Duchess of Devonshire....
to help in the relief of the siege. The Naval Brigade
Naval Brigade
A Naval Brigade is a body of sailors serving in a ground combat role to augment land forces.-Royal Navy:Within the Royal Navy, a Naval Brigade is a large temporary detachment of Royal Marines and of seamen from the Royal Navy formed to undertake operations on shore, particularly during the mid- to...
transported guns over difficult terrain and brought them into action against the Boer
Boer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
s.
The Royal Navy landed two 4.7 inches (11.9 cm) guns and four 12-pounder
Ordnance QF 12 pounder 8 cwt
The Ordnance QF 12 pounder 8 cwt was a Royal Navy "landing gun" intended for navy use ashore. "8 cwt" refers to the weight of the gun and breech, approximately 8 cwt = 8 x = 896 lb. This was how the British often differentiated between guns of the same calibre or weight of shell...
naval guns creating improvised field guns using make shift gun carriages. The guns were transported inland by rail and then drawn on makeshift carriages by oxen. For the final part of the journey, sailors from the Naval Brigade manhandled the guns over very difficult terrain. One story tells of sailors carrying one of the 12-pounder guns for 2 miles (3.2 km) after one of the wheels collapsed.
The siege of Ladysmith lasted for 120 days until February 1900. On their return home, the sailors from the Naval Brigade paraded their guns through London and appeared at the Royal Naval and Military Tournament at the Agricultural Hall, Islington. Displays of field gun drill continued in subsequent years.
A precursor to the competition lay in the presentation of Field Gun 'Evolutions' including one performed by Miss Weston’s Naval Boy’s Brigade from Portsmouth at the Royal Albert Hall on 21 October 1905 as part of the Centenary Commemoration of the Battle of Trafalgar. A film clip of this evolution survives from the period http://mcs.open.ac.uk/dac3/ournavy/clips/clip14.rm (requires Real Player) which was filmed by Alfred J West for his popular 'Our Navy' http://www.ournavy.org.uk film presentations in the early 1900s.
The Interport Field Gun competition was established in 1907 and was a highlight of the Royal Tournament
Royal Tournament
The Royal Tournament was the World's largest military tattoo and pageant, held by the British Armed Forces annually between 1880 and 1999. The venue was originally the Royal Agricultural Hall and latterly the Earls Court Exhibition Centre...
until the Last Run in 1999.
Information on the period 1908 to 1922 is scanty, but it seems that apart from the periods of war the Brickwood Trophy was competed for each year. There have been many changes to the competition. The 1907 challenge involved a team of 17 scaling a 5 feet (1.5 m) obstacle on a 75 yards (68.6 m) course and returning. In 1947 the course consisted of seven "very stiff obstacles" over a distance of 440 yards (402.3 m) each way. Today 18 strong teams compete over an 85 yards (77.7 m) flat track, a total run of 170 yards (155.4 m).
The "Brickwoods" trophy itself is a reproduction in silver of a 12-pounder
Ordnance QF 12 pounder 8 cwt
The Ordnance QF 12 pounder 8 cwt was a Royal Navy "landing gun" intended for navy use ashore. "8 cwt" refers to the weight of the gun and breech, approximately 8 cwt = 8 x = 896 lb. This was how the British often differentiated between guns of the same calibre or weight of shell...
field gun and a gun crew of seven sailors. The names of the winners of the trophy are engraved on small shields up to and including 1961 and plates for winners since 1962. Originally mounted on a black ebony stand, this was replaced in 1961 by the current polished wooden base. At this time the winners shields transferred to the new mounting, although not in the same order as they had appeared on the previous stand.
The original stipulation by Brickwood that the trophy was only open to teams from within Portsmouth continued until 1975 when the competition was widened to include bases from around the country. The trophy left Portsmouth Command for the first time in 1978 as a result of HMS Fisgard's win. HMS Gannet's win in 1997 took the trophy to Scotland for the first time.
Before the First World War the competition was moved from the RN Barracks to Whale Island, where it continued until 1973; the following year it transferred to HMS Collingwood, its famously large parade ground reputed to have once held as many as 8,000 ratings is the perfect setting for the event.
HMS Collingwood itself has had a good record in the competition, having won the Brickwood Trophy 16 times between 1957 and 2006. Records for completing the course have continued to be broken. The Royal Marines set a new record in 1924 of 1 minute 24.4 seconds. This was exceeded in seven subsequent years and eventually in 1938 HMS Excellent achieved 1 minute 13.4 seconds. After the war, with a different course and drill, Victoria Barracks achieved 1 minute 27.4 seconds in 1954. HMS Collingwood cut that to 1 minute 26.8 seconds in 1962.
The record was lowered to 1 minute 19.4 seconds by HMS Daedalus in 1988. HMS Collingwood beat this by running a time of 1 minute 18.8 seconds in 2001.
Brickwood maintained a close interest in the competition over the years. In 1969 Sir Rupert Brickwood Bart presented the trophy and tankards and a firkin of Brickwood's beer to the winning team. In 1971 Brickwood's business was acquired by London-based brewers Whitbread & Co Ltd:
After a century this spectacle of toughness, courage, discipline and teamwork is still going strong.
The competition
The field gun competition was contested by teams from the Royal Naval commands of PortsmouthHMNB Portsmouth
Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the British Royal Navy...
, Devonport
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
and the Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
(although teams from Chatham
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
and the Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
have also competed). At each performance of the Royal Tournament
Royal Tournament
The Royal Tournament was the World's largest military tattoo and pageant, held by the British Armed Forces annually between 1880 and 1999. The venue was originally the Royal Agricultural Hall and latterly the Earls Court Exhibition Centre...
, two crews competed to transport a 12 pounder field gun
Field gun
A field gun is an artillery piece. Originally the term referred to smaller guns that could accompany a field army on the march and when in combat could be moved about the battlefield in response to changing circumstances, as to opposed guns installed in a fort, or to siege cannon or mortars which...
and limber over a series of obstacles.
From the start line in front of the Royal Box, 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 feet (1.5 m) wall. The guns and limbers were then dismantled and carried to the top of a ramp on the "home side" of a 28 feet (8.5 m) "chasm". The crew set up a wire and traveller so all 18 members of the crew and their equipment could cross the chasm. The team and equipment then passed through a hole in the "enemy wall" at the end of the arena. Each crew then 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 feet (1.5 m) enemy wall and then back across the chasm. Once all the crew and equipment were back on the home side of 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 60 seconds.
In the final stage, the "Run Home", men, guns and limbers passed back through the hole in the home wall and then the teams "hook up and pull for home". The clock was stopped as the teams crossed back over the start line. The average time for the "Run Home" was 21 seconds. To the reader - this is Command Field Gun, not Brickwoods Field Gun.
Brickwood Field Gun
The competition simulates the drill which would have been undertaken to bring a naval field gun into action during the march to Ladysmith.
1st Advance, 1st Wheel Change: The limber is lifted, its wheels and drag ropes are shipped and it is run forward. The gun wheels are exchanged with the limber wheels. The gun and wheels are heavy! The gun is brought to the back of the limber and connected, then both are run forward.
2nd Advance, 1st Action: The gun is unhooked and the limber is run to the 70-yard line, where it is turned or spun to face the start; its wheels are removed, and it is dropped to the ground. The gun is run to the end of the track, turned and stopped. The gun is fired three times, each shell being run to the gun from the limber by the fastest man in the crew.
1st Retire, 2nd Wheel: The limber wheels are shipped, and it is run back and hooked to the gun. Both are then run towards the start, stopped and lifted together to exchange wheels. This is the heaviest lift of all, and life gets very difficult if the gear is dropped.
2nd Retire, 2nd Action: Gun and limber are run towards the start line, separated and stopped. The gun is fired three times as quickly as possible.
3rd Retire and Finish: The limber is run back and hooked to the gun, then every member of the crew strains to accelerate the gear over the finish line. This is not the best time to fall in front of the gear, because it is very heavy and cannot be stopped.
Result:
Time penalties are added to the running time for each contravention of the rules, which are published each year under the title "Royal Navy Field Gun Instructions (RNFGI)". There are 38 possible contraventions defined that carry a time penalty ranging from 1 to 6 seconds. These are applied as appropriate to each team upon completion of the drill by the event's Chief Judge.
The track is 85 yards (77.7 m) long, which means a total run of 170 yards (155.4 m).
Previous winners of the Brickwood Trophy
- 1988 HMS Daedalus
- 1989 HMS Daedalus
- 1990 HMS Nelson
- 1991 HMS Sultan
- 1992 HMS Dolphin
- 1993 HMS Seahawk
- 1994 HMS Thunderer
- 1995 HMS Sultan
- 1996 HMS Collingwood
- 1997 HMS Gannet
- 1998 HMS Collingwood
- 1999 HMS Neptune
- 2000 HMS Heron
- 2001 HMS Collingwood - the current record holders with a time of 1 minute 18.88 seconds
- 2002 HMS Heron
- 2003 HMS Collingwood
- 2004 HM Naval Base Portsmouth
- 2005 7th Air Assault Battalion REMERoyal Electrical and Mechanical EngineersThe Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers is a corps of the British Army that has responsibility for the maintenance, servicing and inspection of almost every electrical and mechanical piece of equipment within the British Army from Challenger II main battle tanks and WAH64 Apache...
- 2006 HMS Collingwood
- 2007 HM Naval Base Portsmouth
- 2008 HMS Sultan
- 2009 HM Naval Base Portsmouth
- 2010 HM Naval Base Portsmouth
- 2011 HMS Heron
External links and references
- Photos of the 2011 Field Gun Tournament at HMS Collingwood
- www.royaltournament.org - Information Website
- The Birmingham Military Tattoo
- Portsmouth v's the Fleet Air Arm Video of the"Last Run" at the Royal Tournament in 1999. Note the unofficial black armbands worn by all the team members to mourn the end of the historic competition.
- "Runnin with 3/4 of a soddin ton" A video of Portsmouth Field Gun Teams Training in the 1970s. Shot at HMS Excellent on Whale IslandWhale IslandWhale Island is the name of several islands, including:* Whale Island, Canada* Whale Island, New Zealand* Whale Island, United Kingdom* Whale Island, an island in the Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia...
in Portsmouth HarbourPortsmouth HarbourPortsmouth Harbour is a large natural harbour in Hampshire, England. Geographically it is a ria: formerly it was the valley of a stream flowing from Portsdown into the Solent River. The city of Portsmouth lies to the east on Portsea Island, and Gosport to the west on the mainland... - Portsmouth Action Field Gun Photos and Video
- Field Gun 100 Festival Royal Navy website to mark the 100th anniversary of Field Gun in 2007
- Portsmouth Field Gun Association
- Devonport Field Gun Association
- Fleet Air Arm Field Gun Association
- Portsmouth Action Field Gun 2001
- Field Gun - A Century of History
- Field gun runs (Royal Naval MuseumRoyal Naval MuseumThe Royal Naval Museum is the museum of the history of the Royal Navy in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard section of HMNB Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The museum is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Defence. Its current Acting Director is Graham Dobbin....
, Information Sheet No. 28) - COMMAND100 - Centenary of Inter Command Field Gun
- www.militarytattoo.org - Information Website