Fort Siloso: Mark II 10 Inch BL Gun
Mark III 10 Inch BL Gun
10 inch BL gun at Gun Junction Portsea, Victoria Australia
After inception followed by a delay of a few years, the 10 inch BL gun entered service in 1885. It served as a naval gun and for land service with the Royal Artillery.
Prior to them entering service, the 10 inch gun was recommended in 1881 by Col. Crossman as armament for several cost defence batteries in Singapore. He recommended four of the guns for Mount Palmer. Only two were eventually emplaced in Singapore, both at Mount Palmer. The first record I have for service in Singapore is 1892. The guns were Mark III Guns on Carriage, Garrison, Barbette, B.L., Mark I. The Carriage enabled 15° elevation and 6½° depression.
The make up of a Mark II 10 inch gun barrel
The gun was made of steel and was 342·4 inches (8·7m Approx.)long. It weighed without fittings 27 tons 16 cwt. 2 qrs 2 lbs (28,273 Kg approx.). The breech fittings including the bronze frame weighed 1 ton 3 cwt. 1qr. 26 lb (1,194 Kg approx.). The gun could be fired by percussion or electrically.
A Carriage, Garrison, ‘Barbette, B.L., Mark I
The barrel in the illustration is A Mark I not a Mark III
A gun detachment for the 10 inch gun consisted of a Gun Captain, a Gun Layer, and eleven other gun numbers. Further men were required in the magazine and ammunition train.
Two types of projectile for the 10 inch BL gun
At a range of 10,000 yards, the gun was elevated to 11°41’. The projectile would then be travelling at a speed of 967 feet (294·74m approx.) per second, and would have been in flight for 22·84 seconds. Figures from the Range Tables in the 1892 Handbook for the Gun.
The guns at Mount Palmer were listed for removal 1 April 1907. They were still so listed on 1 April 1910, but was missing from the list of Approved Armaments of 1st April 1911.