75 mm Modifications
Report on Meeting held at Fort Halstead on 26 Mar 43
1. Meeting was attended by:-
Airborne Division.
O.C. 1st Air Landing Light Regiment R.A. (Lt. Col. McLeod)
Representative of D.A.D.M.E. (Major Pollitt).
B.M.E. R.A. (Capt. Bury)
War Office.
A.2a (Lt. Col. Stone).
Air 2 (Capt.Bazolgette).
R.A. 2 (Major FitzGibbon).
O.E.A.D.
Major Richards and other representatives.
2. Trail eye for 75 mm Pack How.
It was explained by the representatives of O.E.A.D. that in order to produce a trail eye for the 75 mm Pack How. By the 1st April, which was the date given to them it has been necessary to fit existing trail eyes, and the 2 pr. Trail eye has been used for this purpose.
The proposed modification was explained, and the drawings were examined, and proposed trail eye appears to be satisfactory, although it will entail an increase in the weight of some 50 lbs. on the point of the trail.
The trail eye is being so fitted that there will be a minimum of 16 inches clearance between the ground and the point of the spade, which should be sufficient to ensure that the spade clears the ground when travelling over rough country. This question will be confirmed by the unit as soon as possible after the unit has received some modified guns.
the 2 pr. Trail eye will fit the hook on the rear of the car 5-cwt. 4×4, but does not fit the hook at the rear of the trailer airborne. It was agreed that it is essential that the trail eye of any equipment issued to the Air Landing Light Regiment should be able to fit on the hook of the standard car 5-cwt. 4×4 and of the standard trailer airborne. Since it appears undesirable to alter the size of the trail eye, which is a standard fitting, it will be necessary to alter the size of the hook on the back of the airborne trailer. It was agreed that a further number of trailers for immediate requirements could be modified under Divisional arrangements, but immediate steps must be taken to ensure that all trailers airborne in future production shall have this modification incorporated by the makers. It is understood the makers of the trailers airborne have already stated that there will be no difficulty in so modifying the hook on the rear of the trailer so that the standard trail eye will fit on to it.
Air 2 agreed to take this matter up at once as a matter of the highest urgency.
3. Travelling Clamp
The design for a travelling clamp was discussed, but it was agreed that the issue of the modified gun to the 1st Air Landing Light Regiment should not be delayed in order that the travelling clamp should be fixed. It was therefore agreed that if the clamp was not ready by the time the guns were ready for issue the travelling clamps should be fitted locally in Divisional workshops.
it was noted that the suggested design entails the gun travelling with the piece at maximum elevation. This has the advantage that it takes the weight off the equilibrating springs, and vibration due to travelling will cause wear on a portion of the elevating arc which is not in use at normal ranges, but the centre of gravity of the equipment will be high which makes lateral instability. It was agreed that the unit should carry out trials with the equipment with the piece in the position of maximum elevation and that if the gun showed an undue tendency to overturn it would be necessary to lower the centre of gravity when travelling and redesign the travelling clamp.
4. Drag Washers.
It is understood that drag washers are to be fitted on the inside of the hubs of the pneumatic wheels but that this modification will probably not be included on the first equipments to come out.
5. Issue of Guns
It was stated that one gun would be ready for collection from the B.S.A. factory on the 27th of March and that thereafter it was hoped to complete at the rate of about a gun a day. It was agreed that the unit should collect one gun from the B.S.A. works on Monday 29th of March and should be prepared at the same time to take a second gun if it was ready for issue. These equipments will have been pneumatised, and will have had the trail eye fitted, but other minor modifications such as the fitting of the “chests accessory” will not have been completed since these would delay the issue of the guns.
6. Clamp for Traversing Gear.
It was agreed it was necessary to clamp the traversing gear to prevent rotation of the traversing handwheel during movement. A temporary arrangement will be made locally whereby the handle can be strapped in one position but it was considered that a more permanent fixture will have to be made in due course.
7. Modification of further Equipments.
It appears that final instructions have only been given for the pneumatisation of 25 equipments ; i.e. 24 for the1st Air Landing Light Regiment, and 1 for A.F.E.E. It was agreed that Air 2 should make it perfectly clear that the Air Landing Light Regiment requires an additional three guns modified forthwith as first reinforcements and that thereafter the remaining equipments in England will require modification. It was, however, agreed that before putting in hand the modification of the remaining equipments after the first 24 had been issued, it would be better to await a report from the unit as a result of the initial experience with the first modified equipments which become available. O.C. 1st Air Landing Light Regiment agreed to submit an interim report on the pneumatisation within one week of issue of the first equipment.
Home Forces
27 Mar 43
Lt. Col. R.A.
Commanding, 1st Air Landing Light Regiment, R.A.