History
The gun as originally designed and supplied to Britain had a sprung telescoping trail to assist with recoil control, all-steel wheels, axle-tree seats and no shield. The British found the trail unsatisfactory in service, so they permanently pinned it in the closed position. The British also immediately replaced the original all-steel wheels with standard British wooden spoked wheels.
It replaced the obsolete BL 12 pounder 6 cwt gun in Royal Horse Artillery service until the QF 13 pounder became available from 1904.
When the Territorial Force was formed in 1908 the guns were assigned to its cavalry units, known as Yeomanry. The axle-tree seats were removed as unnecessary because the gunners rode horses, and gun-shields were added. The modified carriage was designated Mk I+.
This gun is the "15 pounder" to which writers are referring in World War I if they are referring to RHA batteries of the Territorial Force, or Yeomanry. The other "15 pounder", the BLC 15 pounder, was an unrelated gun used by field artillery batteries of the Territorial Force, although it was also issued to some second line RHA batteries raised in 1914.
Read more about this topic: Ordnance QF 15 Pounder
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