Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:45:21-1:45:50

Elswick's postwar 18-inch railway howitzers remain a contract question

Five railway howitzers completed in 1920 belonged to the British 18-inch Mk I gun family, though the contract that kept them in production is difficult to trace.

18-inch GunsElswick Ordnance CompanyNaval GunneryRailway HowitzersWorld War I
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Question

Why did Elswick complete five 18-inch railway howitzers in 1920, and were they connected to the 18-inch Mk I gun?

Short answer

Yes, they were connected, and a surviving contract probably explains completion, though its exact terms remain unclear.

Notes

The railway weapons were connected to the British 18-inch Mk I gun family. Their completion after the First World War suggests that the government remained bound by an earlier Elswick contract. The quantity is unusual, and the contract's details are hard to trace. An exact cancellation or payment clause would require further archival evidence.