- Yes
- No
Introduction
Following the fall of France in 1940, Britain was in a sticky situation. The armour and artillery of the British Expeditionary force, constituting a very significant part of the nation’s fighting force, had been abandoned in France, Belgium, and on the beaches of Dunkirk. Nazi Germany and their then-allies the Soviets occupied or controlled the vast majority of Europe. An invasion of the island of Great Britain was an unlikely but very possible eventuality.
Given that so much equipment had been abandoned in Europe, it was considered necessary that some interim solutions were implemented to aid in the defence of the island should it be necessary. One such of these measures was the mounting of the Breech-Loading (BL) 4-inch Mk VII naval cannon on the Foden DG/6/10 truck.
The BL 4-inch cannon was developed as a breech-loading version of the Quick-Firing 4-inch, intended for the triple mounting aboard HMS Renown and HMS Repulse. It was carrried during WW1 within single mountings on sloops, minesweepers, and monitors, as well as over 1200 armed merchant vessels. The BL 4-inch Mk VII specifically was introduced in 1909, first fitted on HMS Bellerophon, with over 600 being produced.
In an effort to field mobile, heavy firepower capable of deterring or defeating a significant landing force, BL 4-inch Mk VIIs were mounted on various trucks, the most well known one being the variant discussed here - on a Foden DG/6/10. The Foden DG series are British heavy trucks constructed before and during WW2, put to use for a huge variety of tasks.
These trucks ultimately never had to be used against their intended foe - but nonetheless they remain an important reminder of the combination of desperation and ingenuity that Britain showcased during the early years of WW2.
Specifications
Spoiler
Cannon
Truck
Engine: Gardner 6LW 6-cylinder diesel
Gearbox: 4 forward, 1 Reverse
Suspension: Front - semi-elliptic Rear - semi-elliptic but with free ends
Brakes: foot, hydraulic on all wheels. Handbrake, mechanical on rear wheels only
Tyres: 36x8 and 13.50x20 on DG6/12
Range: 50 Gal (400 Miles)
Dimensions: L 26ft 7in W 7ft 6in H 10ft 2in
Weight: Unladen 7 ton 4 cwt
Images
Sources
Spoiler
MOBILE GUNS | Imperial War Museums
Naval Weapons Of World War Two - John Campell, 1985
British military trucks of World War Two : manufacturers, types, variants and service of trucks in British Army and Royal Air Force service, 1939-1945 - Les Freathy, 2012
