Whats this then

[Great War truck]

 

Tim (too)

[Tony B]

RGA heavy howitzers ?

[AlienFTM]

The TWO "one-legged officers" in front of the parade appear to have been snapped in the middle of performing a right turn as the foot is driven into the ground facing in the new direction, so fast that the camera missed it. Or in fact bringing the trailing foot up (thigh parallel with the ground) prior to driving it home.

[Snapper]

Definitely gunners, so must be something big by the look of the kit.

[Rick W]

They look like they should be raised or lowered, they look like large gun carriages without the guns??

[Tony B]

They look like they should be raised or lowered, they look like large gun carriages without the guns??

bear in mind the big stuff moved split down. Could be bridging kit?

[Great War truck]

I thought bridging equipment too. But then again it does look like they have artillery cap badges. But, would artillery men have bandoliers like that, or in fact would engineers? Interesting stuff.

 

Tim (too)

[Rlangham]

Artillery definitely would have, i've seen photos of artillerymen with the leather bandoliers - no doubt engineers would have too, they were to be worn by mounted men. Another 'mark' of mounted men is the fact they wear their puttees the wrong way round (well, to me anyway), starting under the knee and ending at the ankle, with the lighter coloured tapes above the ankles

[Runflat]

The wagon has metal wheels, not unlike a traction engine. So clearly used for transporting something heavy. But not pontoons/bridging equipment - they were transported on wagons with wooden wheels.

 

A look at 'British Artillery Weapons and Ammunition 1914-1918' shows a similar device used for transporting a 12in Siege Howitzer. Not the lightest of things! It goes on say that the howitzer was transported in six loads - barrel; cradle; carriage; bedplate; earthbox; and miscellaneous components - and assembled by an ingenious inter-connection of the various transport wagons plus some hard work with winches. With the carriage assembled in position two steel girder ramps were laid and the howitzer transport wagons winched up until it could be securely locked to the carriage. A screw-jack beneth it, working on the tail of the platform, allowed the barrel to be raised on the wagon springs until it was precisely aligned with the cradle, when it was winched forward until the barrel guide strips engaged in the cradle guide-ways; the barrel was then run home and the gun lug secured to the recoil system.

 

The (demountable) guide ramp can be seen on the top of the wagon - the narrow strip with the sloping ends.

 

Doesn't answer why the officers are hoping around. Perhaps they are demonstrating what to do if the barrel falls on your toes.

[Great War truck]

Thanks Alan. Remind me to send you a prize. I have a spare 2004 CCH perhaps?