MAKING GUNS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20431, 16 December 1940, Page 10

MAKING GUNS

THE 25-POUNDERS PROGRESS IN AUSTRALIA A HUGE UNDERTAKING SYDNEY, Nov. 21, After working at high pressure for many months, the Ministry of. Munitions has brought to an advanced stage a huge and costly project for the manufacture in Australia of 25pounder guns. It is one or the largest armament undertakings ever planned in Australia. and will cost approximately £4,000,000, of which more than £3,000,000 will be spent on wages and materials.

It is estimated that when the project is in full operation more than 3000 men will be engaged in New South Wales, and at least an equal number in Victoria, manufacturing the component parts and assembling them into finished guns.

Local production of this gun, which is now standard equipment in the British Army, largely superseding the 18-pounder gun, is designed not only to make Australia self-contained in the supply of field guns for home defence, but also to furnish a reserve supply of field artillery for other parts of the Empire. Large Assembly Works In Sydney a large assembly works will be" used as an assembly shop for the new guns. There will be another assembly shop in Melbourne. Because finished guns will come from the assembly benches in two States, it will be necessary to establish! proof ranges in both Sydney and Melbourne. Australian-built 3.7 in. antiaircraft guns are now tested at a proof range at Williamstown, Melbourne. In Sydney it will be necessary to construct a range specially for testing 25-pounders, probably on the coast not far from the city.

The 25-pounder is a comparatively light field-piece, with a longer range than the 18-pounder. It is mounted on rubber tyres, which help to give it a speed, when drawn by tractor, of about 30 miles an hour. To a large extent it also combines the general purposes of the 4:sin. howitzer. It is expected that the first Aus-tralian-built 25-pounders will be produced in the first quarter of next year. Shells for use with the new guns are already being produced in large quantities in munition factories in New South Wales and Victoria.