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"Loading Position"

The Officer of the Turret gives the order, the Captain of Turret repeats it, and trains to the loading position; 3 of the right gun attends to the inside bolt; when locked, 2nd Captain of Turret places the outside bolt and then reports "Turret Locked".

Meanwhile, 1 places the gun in the loading position - fully run in and elevated to maximum angle (13 degrees).


Now, the turret is ready and locked in place. Let's illustrate the drill for loading the left gun.

"Open the breech"

Upon hearing this command, 1 opens the breech (this will be illustrated more fully later), 2 visually checks that the bore is clear and reports it.

"Place the Loading Tray"

1 and 3 place the loading tray into position behind the breech.


When a visual telltale indicator shows "Load", 4 raises the projectile hoist, rams a projectile home, withdraws the rammer and lowers the hoist.

5 puts the slide back in the trough, and with 5, 6 and 7 removes the lids from the powder case and places the powder case in the loading trough.

4 raises the hoist, rams the charge till an indicator shows "Charge Home", withdraws the rammer, reports "Left gun loaded", and lowers the hoist.

5, 6 and 7 then remove the powder case.

5 replaces the slide in the trough and all the outside numbers reload the hoist with a projectile for the next loading cycle.

“Out Loading Tray”

1 and 3 remove the loading tray inside the turret

“Close the Breech”

1 closes the breech, and shifts the telltale to ‘Breech Closed’


“Free the Turret”

When both telltales show ‘Breech Closed’ the 2nd Captain of Turret raises the outside bolt.

No 3 of the right gun then raises the inside bolt and reports ‘Turret Free’.

“Run Out”

1 runs the gun out and lays it (rotates it in elevation) roughly horizontally

“Simultaneous Firing – x Knots right (or left) deflection yyyy yards”

Captain of Turret and 3 of the left gun adjust their sights to establish the correct angle between the sights and the guns.

“Insert the Tube”

2 inserts a tube (which contains an electrically fired composition that ignites the main charge) into a receiver on the breech

“Train and lay both Guns”

The Captain of Turret trains the turret and aligns the sights of the right gun with the object.

3 of the left gun keeps the opposite gun to correspond for elevation by his sights.

“Bring both Guns to the Ready”

2 puts switch to ‘On’, completing the safety loop of the firing circuit.

1 reports ‘Left Gun Ready’

When both guns are reported ‘Ready’, the Captain of Turret places his hand on the firing pistol grip and reports ‘Ready’

“Fire both Guns”

The Captain of Turret fires at his own discretion, and removes his hand from the pistol grip.

2 then puts the switch to ‘Off’

(c) 2008 Rob Brassington, all rights reserved