Drag Ropes: How are they used??

[tankbarrell]

I carried out these checks this morning.

Firstly, a standard 25 pdr rope on a pair of the short hooks on my gun. Incidentally, one of the other guns I have here has slightly shorter hooks but they are both considerably shorter than the long ones seen in some period pictures.

Whilst it is possible to fit the rope, it does not leave enough room to fit another on the second pair of hooks. The longer hooks seem able to take a 3" rope.

[tankbarrell]

Next I tried 30 ft of 2" rope and this fills the hooks nicely. Obviously, there are no ends on here but there is enough room left to take them.

[tankbarrell]

Finally, 15' 6'' of 2" rope.

[tankbarrell]

I believe that the 30' of 2" rope is correct, it best matches period pictures that clearly show a rope that is the smaller diameter. It also seems to show hooks that are smaller than the 25 pdr hook and rings of a smaller section.
I tried a 25 pdr hook in a 6 pdr drag washer and it was a very tight fit, the 25 pdr drag washers being considerably larger.
Therefore, I believe the No2 ropes were made from a 30' rope of 2" circumference with a smaller hook on one end and chains and rings to suit the 8.25-10 wheel.

There is a famous picture of a crew coiling 3" ropes on a 6 pdr but that also has the very long hooks. They are noticeably chunkier than the ropes in other pictures.

If we can find a known original rope however, I am quite prepared to be proven wrong!

[Rob Beale]

The test does help a lot to show the capacity of the rope hooks. Also the fact that the 25 pdr hook is too large negates a modified 25 pdr rope.

I see you have wound the rope around one pair of hooks in the pics.
Is this the standard method of rope stowage?
My pic of the Firepower 6 pdr shows both ropes wound around all 4 hooks and pulled in at the centre with a web strap that should help keep it clear of the barrel when elevated.

I looked on Google images and it shows examples of both methods of rope stowage. What do the 6 pdr manuals show?

(I only have SA Training pamphlet No 27 which details gun drills including manhandling the gun over rough ground and use of each end of the drag ropes).

Another query is the tool stowage on the Firepower gun. Does this match the manuals? and what is the curved scabbard by the GS shovel on the upstand of the front shield? (It is not a machete or bill hook).

Rob

[tankbarrell]

Most wartime pictures that show anything generally have one rope per pair of hooks. The manual has no information of any use.

I wouldn't take the Firepower example as indicative of anything myself.

[Marc van Aalderen]

My gun also has the short hooks and I'm struggling to get one 25 pdr rope on them.

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