How did ammunition reach the light guns mounted on top of the main turrets?
Short answerCrewmen manually carried it up ladders, a dangerous arrangement that depended on the main turret remaining relatively still.
NotesAmmunition had to be carried by hand up ladders fixed to the backs of the turrets. The light weapons were probably high-angle guns intended for use when the main battery was not traversing or firing. Even under that favorable assumption, the men supplying the exposed mounts worked beside moving machinery and severe blast hazards. Gun-directing or observation positions in the same area also had to be cleared before the heavy weapons fired. Added anti-aircraft firepower imposed dangerous manual handling and coordination burdens on the crew.