tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2541242191749536795.post578651643163933964..comments2023-04-16T04:24:40.668-07:00Comments on Great Arab Revolt Project: Day 4 - The station (and battle) at Ghadir el HajjRoger Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03194599375075414563noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2541242191749536795.post-29144896716446547642011-11-20T09:53:17.380-08:002011-11-20T09:53:17.380-08:00Firstly, it all looks really great out there, and ...Firstly, it all looks really great out there, and I really do regret not being able to be with you this year.<br><br>Secondly, a small correction: It should not be “grapnel” balls, but “SHRAPNEL”, named after the British artillery officer who invented it! <br><br>The shrapnel shell, in effect, is like a large shotgun cartridge. The time fuze initiates a charge at the base of the shell which forces off the fuze and expels the balls forwards in a cone. The fuze is set (ideally) to go off as the shell is descending towards the target, so that the balls can reach behind cover and into the trenches and dead ground. As the shell does not actually explode, the empty body should fall to earth in the general target area virtually intact. It is also readily recoverable so may well not be present in the archaeological record. <br>TEL was often rather slack, technically, when describing equipment and there is ambiguity in his account here: “[Nuri], with French Mountain guns and Arab Regulars …. had rushed Ghadi el Hajj station...” <br>The Arab forces did have some French guns attached. I don't have any references on me but I was under the impression that these were the M1897 77mm Field Gun [ie not a Mountain Gun]. However, they also had some Vickers 2.95-inch (75mm) Mountain Guns from the Sudanese Army – a cartridge primer protection clip was found during the 2009 season, if you recall. – this fired a 12.5lb shrapnel shell. In field artillery, French shrapnel balls were smaller than the British, but I don't have any info to hand as regards those in the Vickers 2.95-inch round. <br>To be quite certain it would be very helpful if a spent shell were found [the 75mm has 25 rifling grooves, the 2.95 has 30]. The fuzes would be significant diagnostic finds. the French one was quite distinctive, being cylindrical and about 6-7cm long, and being made from a rather dull alloy might be less noticeable and more likely to survive in situ. Nevertheless, the finding of shrapnel balls on the target does at least confirm the employment of artillery in the attack. <br>Guy TaylorGuy Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12758849684142569081noreply@blogger.com