The Ordnance BL 10 pounder mountain gun was developed as a BL successor to the RML 2.5 inch screw gun which was outclassed in the Second Boer War.
History
This breech-loading gun was an improvement on the muzzle-loading screw gun but still lacked any recoil absorber or recuperator mechanism. It could be dismantled into 4 loads of approximately for transport, typically by mule. It was originally manufactured without a Gun shield, but these were made and fitted locally during World War I e.g. at Nairobi in 1914 for the East Africa campaign, also at Suez in 1915 for the Gallipoli campaign. It was eventually replaced by the BL 2.75 inch Mountain Gun from 1914 onwards but was still the main mountain gun in service when World War I began.
Guns of the 26th Mountain Battery of the Indian Army were the first British Empire artillery to open fire in the Middle East in World War I, on 26 January 1915, Qantara, against the Turkish advance towards the Suez Canal. The gun was used notably in the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915 by two Indian Army units, the 21st Mountain Battery and 26th Mountain Battery of the 7th Indian Mountain Brigade with 6 guns each at Anzac, and by the ScottishTerritorial Force unit, the 4th Highland Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery at Helles and then Suvla. The 21st Battery was granted the title "Royal" in 1922 for its actions including Gallipoli, unique for an artillery battery. There is some evidence that the Turkish defenders on Gallipoli were also using the 10 pounder, bought prewar from New Zealand, as the ANZACs discovered 10 pounder shell bodies fired at them made in India which were not from their own guns. In the East Africa campaign, the following Indian batteries used the 10 pounder with distinction in constant action :-
24th Hazara Mountain Battery served in East Africa from 26 April 1917, taking up the 6 guns left by 28th Battery. A typical extract from their War Diary reads : "Ndundwala 2nd July 1917... one section came into action and fired 87 rounds shrapnel at enemy holding river crossing place at range 750 yards. Forward observer reported three direct hits on his breastworks. Sniping continued" 19 August 1917 : "constructed an emplacement within 150 yards of enemy... tubes which were dated 1901 are very bad and several misfires occurred... during last 15 days fired 548 shrapnel, 35 common and 4 star shells at average range of 1,000 yards". They returned to India in November 1918.
22nd Mountain Battery arrived in the East Africa campaign on 18 December 1916, when they relieved the 28th Battery which returned to India. They appear to have initially used 10 pounders and re-equipped with howitzers some time later, as Farndale reports they first used their howitzers in action in the attack on German positions at Medo, 11 April 1918. They returned to India in November 1918.
