you are currently viewing: Discussion Forum
 
 

 
 

The Rorke's Drift VC Discussion Forum
(View Discussion Rules)

** IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO ALL USERS **

PLEASE NOTE: This forum is now inactive and is provided for reference purposes only. The live forum is available at www.rorkesdriftvc.com/forum


(Back To Topic List)

DateOriginal Topic
23rd November 2003Colour of wheels and carriage for army and navy gatling guns
By Carl
Can anyone help with the colour of wheels and carriages for the gatlings used duting the Zulu war.
DateReplies
24th November 2003Mike McCabe
In his very useful book on the Victorian Army "Go to Your God Like a Soldier" Ian Knight identifies grey as the painted colour of gun carriages, and black as the painted colour of gun barrels. The gatling, depending on type, would probably be in its natural metal colours according to the material of each component part. In the last decade of the 19th century, a very dark gloss green replaced grey on carriages for items issued primarily for Home Service. In the early 1900s, this colour was adapted further to a lighter and matt tone- but not before it also came to be used as 'British Racing Green'. The original gloss colour can still be seen on the guns and limbers of the King's Troop RHA.
25th November 2003John Young
Carl,

Mike's answer, I believe, covers the Royal Artillery's Gatling Gun carriages. However, some years ago I remember seeing a Royal Navy Gatling Gun, mounted on a low Land-Service carriage, in the Nottingham Pattern Room Collection. The carriage for that Gatling was a varnished wooden one.

You could check with the Royal Armouries at Leeds, who I believe absorbed some of the collection from Notingham, that Gatling may well be there.

John Y.
25th November 2003AMB
Carl,

The Royal Armouries at Leeds do have a Zulu War era gatling Gun - well worth a visit. Or maybe you could drop them a line & ask for a picture. Maybe their web site would help?

AMB
25th November 2003Clive Dickens
Carl
I have a very large model of a Gatling Gun and it is exactly how John discribes the one he saw in Nottingham
Clive
27th November 2003Carl
Gentlemen thank you I will try the and research the Royal Armoury on the web. I have the book go to your god.....should have known Ian would have written about it somewhere.
Thanks all I can now complete the model.