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Weaponry of the Anglo-Boer War

COMMON ARTILLERY DATA

British Forces

12 pounder
Range 5 200 yards, H.E. 3 800 yards shrapnel; 12.5 pound shell.

15 pounder
Range 5 500 yards H.E. 4 100 yards shrapnel; 14 pound shell.

5 inch Howitzer
Range 4 800 yards for both H.E.1 (Lyddite)2 and shrapnel3; 50 pound shell.
Naval Guns Removed from the Cruisers Terrible, Powerful, Monarch and Doris

12 pounder
Range 8000 yards H.E. only.
4.7 inch
Range 10 000 yards for both H.E. (Lyddite) and shrapnel; 45 pound shell.

Boer Forces

75mm Schneider-Creusot and Krupp
Range 8 500 yards H.E. only; 14.5 pound shell.

115mm Schneider-Creusot (Long Tom)
Range 11 000 yards H.E. only; 88 pound shell.

Both Sides

1 pounder, 37mm Maxim-Nordenfeldt (Pom-Pom)
Range 3000 yards

1. High Explosive (H.E.) shells burst on impact.
2. Lyddite shells threw up impressive clouds of earth and smoke, but did little damage except where they actually landed.
3. Shrapnel were timed to burst in the air releasing 200 metal balls, making them very effective against troops in the open.

Main British Artillery Formation Organisation

The personnel of a 15 pounder battery consisted of a major, a captain, 3 subalterns and 170 other ranks. Its 6 guns and limbers were each drawn by 6 horses; a gun and limber together weighed about 1.75 tons. With ammunition and other wagons and the riding horses, a battery had 138 horses.
The Horse Artillery 12 pounder battery also had 6 guns, but a smaller establishment of men and horses. The Boers possessed no comparable organisation, but their guns were very well handled, and they made good use of captured British guns.
In this war, the artillery played an increasingly minor, and the horsed soldier, an increasingly major role.


Weaponry Image Gallery/Archive

Rifles/Carbines Commonly Used by British and Colonial Forces*

Martini-Metford Cavalry Carbine Mark II, calibre .303, with sword and scabbard, Sword , Cavalry, Pattern 1899.
Martini-Metford Cavalry Carbine Mark II, calibre .303, with sword and scabbard, Sword , Cavalry, Pattern 1899.
Martini-Metford Artillery Carbine Mark III , calibre .303, with bayonet and scabbard Pattern 1888, Mark II
Martini-Metford Artillery Carbine Mark III , calibre .303, with bayonet and scabbard Pattern 1888, Mark II
Magazine Lee-Enfield, Mark I*, calibre .303, with bayonet and scabbard, Pattern 1888, Mark II.
Magazine Lee-Enfield, Mark I*, calibre .303, with bayonet and scabbard, Pattern 1888, Mark II.

Magazine Lee-Metford Mark II, calibre .303, with bayonet and scabbard, Pattern 1888, Second Type.
Magazine Lee-Metford Mark II, calibre .303, with bayonet and scabbard, Pattern 1888, Second Type.
Magazine Lee-Metford Mark I* , calibre .303, with bayonet and scabbard, Pattern 1888, Mark 1, First Type.
Magazine Lee-Metford Mark I* , calibre .303, with bayonet and scabbard, Pattern 1888, Mark 1, First Type.
Magazine Lee-Enfield Cavalry Carbine Mark I, with the Sword, Cavalry, Pattern 1899, with scabbard.
Magazine Lee-Enfield Cavalry Carbine Mark I, with the Sword, Cavalry, Pattern 1899, with scabbard.

Rifles/Carbines Commonly Used by Boer Forces

Boer Mauser carbine made for the Z.A.R., calibre 7 x 57 mm.
Boer Mauser carbine made for the Z.A.R., calibre 7 x 57 mm.
Boer Mauser rifle made for the Z.A.R., calibre 7 x 57 mm.
Boer Mauser rifle made for the Z.A.R., calibre 7 x 57 mm.
Westley Richards rifle made for the Z.A.R., calibre .577/.450
Westley Richards rifle made for the Z.A.R., calibre .577/.450

Westley Richards carbine made for the Z.A.R., calibre .577/.450.
Westley Richards carbine made for the Z.A.R., calibre .577/.450.
Guedes rifle in calibre 8mm , and is Z.A.R. marked.
Guedes rifle in calibre 8mm , and is Z.A.R. marked.

Revolvers Commonly Used by British and Colonial Forces*

Mark I, Service Revolver. Calibre .455. These were still in use in the Anglo-Boer War. This piece is navy marked.
Mark I, Service Revolver. Calibre .455. These were still in use in the Anglo-Boer War. This piece is navy marked.
Webley Fosbery Automatic Revolver. Calibre .455 (cordite). These early models saw some limited service in the Anglo- Boer War, since they were not available until the war was nearly over. This piece was carried by a K.O.S.B. major.
Webley Fosbery Automatic Revolver. Calibre .455 (cordite). These early models saw some limited service in the Anglo- Boer War, since they were not available until the war was nearly over. This piece was carried by a K.O.S.B. major.
Webley, Mark III. Calibre .455. This weapon belonged to a Canadian captain in the Anglo-Boer War.
Webley, Mark III. Calibre .455. This weapon belonged to a Canadian captain in the Anglo-Boer War.

Webley, W.G. 1896 Army Model, Calibre .455/.476. Several models of this type seem to have been popular. This one has been furnished with after market stocks.
Webley, W.G. 1896 Army Model, Calibre .455/.476. Several models of this type seem to have been popular. This one has been furnished with after market stocks.
Webley, Mark IV, Service Revolver, Calibre .455. These are often termed the "Boer War Model" and were produced in the period during the Anglo-Boer War.
Webley, Mark IV, Service Revolver, Calibre .455. These are often termed the “Boer War Model” and were produced in the period during the Anglo-Boer War.
Webley, Mark III, Service Revolver. Caliber .455. Commonly in use during the Anglo-Boer War .
Webley, Mark III, Service Revolver. Caliber .455. Commonly in use during the Anglo-Boer War .

Webley, Mark II, Service Revolver, Calibre .455/.45ACP. The original pieces were also still in use during the Anglo-Boer War. This piece has been converted to fire .45ACP cartridges with half-moon clips. This conversion was done in recent times.
Webley, Mark II, Service Revolver, Calibre .455/.45ACP. The original pieces were also still in use during the Anglo-Boer War. This piece has been converted to fire .45ACP cartridges with half-moon clips. This conversion was done in recent times.
Broomhandle Mauser.
Broomhandle Mauser.

Swords and Bayonets Used During the War

Cavalry Sword, circa 1890
Cavalry Sword, circa 1890
Pattern 1888 Sword Bayonets
Pattern 1888 Sword Bayonets
Cavalry Sword, circa 1899
Cavalry Sword, circa 1899

Field Glasses and Handcuffs

Boer War era field glasses
Boer War era field glasses
Boer War era field glasses
Boer War era field glasses
Boer War era field glasses
Boer War era field glasses

RCS heavy Boer War Plug-8 handcuffs.
RCS heavy Boer War Plug-8 handcuffs.
Boer War era handcuffs.
Boer War era handcuffs.
Monocular
Monocular

Images courtesy of Mr. Ken Hallock.


12 pounder gun and limber being positioned outside Ladysmith
12 pounder gun and limber being positioned outside Ladysmith
Canadian "E" Bty 12-pounder detachment at Fabers Putt.
Canadian “E” Bty 12-pounder detachment at Fabers Putt.
Converted Naval 4.7in gun on its way to the front
Converted Naval 4.7in gun on its way to the front
Naval 4.7in gun being sighted
Naval 4.7in gun being sighted

Naval 4.7in gun shelling enemy lines
Naval 4.7in gun shelling enemy lines
Another of Buller's converted 4.7in naval guns shelling Botha's line at Colenso
Another of Buller’s converted 4.7in naval guns shelling Botha’s line at Colenso
A converted 4.7in naval gun being fired at Magersfontein.
A converted 4.7in naval gun being fired at Magersfontein.
Naval 4.7 inch gun being fired.
Naval 4.7 inch gun being fired.

A Boer 'Long Tom' at Mafeking
A Boer ‘Long Tom’ at Mafeking
General Cronje with 'Long Tom' at Mafeking.
General Cronje with ‘Long Tom’ at Mafeking.
Creusot 7.5 cm with shell displayed.
Creusot 7.5 cm with shell displayed.
75mm Creusot commanding the loop of the Tugela at Colenso
75mm Creusot commanding the loop of the Tugela at Colenso

British Armstrong 12 pounder
British Armstrong 12 pounder
Krupp 12cm rapid fire gun with shell displayed
Krupp 12cm rapid fire gun with shell displayed
Pom-Pom (Maxim-Nordenfeldt) used by the Boers
Pom-Pom (Maxim-Nordenfeldt) used by the Boers
Boer fighter testing a Maxim machine gun
Boer fighter testing a Maxim machine gun

Boer soldiers with Krupp field gun.
Boer soldiers with Krupp field gun.
Captured Boer guns.
Captured Boer guns.
Maxim Machine Gun detachment in England.
Maxim Machine Gun detachment in England.
Colt machine gun being cleaned by Canadian troops
Colt machine gun being cleaned by Canadian troops

Canadian soldier and machine gun with limber.
Canadian soldier and machine gun with limber.
Balloon Corps balloon advancing on Johannesburg with the 8th RFA.
Balloon Corps balloon advancing on Johannesburg with the 8th RFA.
Balloon Corps balloon advancing on Johannesburg with the 8th RFA.
Balloon Corps balloon advancing on Johannesburg with the 8th RFA.
British 12 pounder - captured by Boer forces & re-captured by Canadian troops at the Battle of Leliefontein.
British 12 pounder – captured by Boer forces & re-captured by Canadian troops at the Battle of Leliefontein.

Boer gun captured by Australian troops on display in the Australian War Musuem.
Boer gun captured by Australian troops on display in the Australian War Musuem.
Long Cecil - constructed in Rhodes' factory during the siege.
Long Cecil – constructed in Rhodes’ factory during the siege.
Replica Long Tom commanding a pass in Mpumalanga.
Replica Long Tom commanding a pass in Mpumalanga.
Same restored Long Tom in Mpumalanga.
Same restored Long Tom in Mpumalanga.

SOURCES:
Belfield, Eversley. The Boer War. Hamden: Archon, 1975.
Nel, Malinda: Private researcher, South Africa

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