Drag Ropes: How are they used??

[rob love]

I have to ask if anyone has reference in any of the British artillery manuals as to the proper use of the drag ropes. I have seen two sizes of the ropes; a smaller diameter rope for use with the 6 pounder, and a larger diameter hemp rope for the 25 pounder. There are rings and links on one end of the end of the rope, and a hook on the other.

I am assuming that the different design of the rims, with the little claws on the edges, have something to do with the drag ropes, but I cannot figure out what the correct drills are. Checking my 25 pounder manuals I can find nothing. Also, the 6 pounder claws seem better suited to adapting to the ropes...the 25 poundr claws are not the same.

Can someone enlighten me? Surely there is more to it than in the illustration below?

Also, why did the guns use the 3 piece rims (rim with ring and locking ring) when the other CMPs simply used the 2 piece rims. Surely the little claws could have been welded to the 2 piece CMP rim. The 2 piece is certainly a much safer design. I always have a healthy fear working with the 3 piece rims, and have had to scrap a couple of the rings at work due to unsafe distortion.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Either a straight pull as in your drawing, or.... (it takes a modeler to work out this type of detail )

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?...=230240&page=2

IMG_8209.JPG

[rob love]

I saw that photo as well Hanno, but the 25 pounder rim does not have the same claws. The claws are also on the inside of the rims. I believe one end of the rope has two short chains. Could they each be attached to one side of the rim onto opposing claws, and the rope is dragged over the tire for mechanical advantage?

There has to be something in one of the manuals...surely it was not just conjecture on how to use these things?

[Wayne Henderson]

Great illustration of 6 guys who have never moved a 25 pdr before.

I once asked the RAAHS boys about drag ropes, for the use of, and the polite answer had something to do with having a truck and 6 blokes and if my mum knew who my father was.

Also depends what frogs/chains the drag rope has, hooks or rings.

Years ago I saw some photos of boys dragging 25's up mud hills in PNG and they were using ropes and the lower ranks, nothing wrapped around rims though.

[rob love]

Looking at Hannos photo above, I think it might be wrong. I believe the 6 pounder also has hooks on opposite sides of each rim. The inner hooks would not work out if you are merely using the rope with the hook.

There are two ends to a drag rope. There is a simple hook, which I suspect would be used to hook directly onto the ring. This would be for pulling such as in the photo...on relatively even ground.

Then there is the end with two short chains and rings. I think the rings go on the hooks, and the rope ends up straddling the center of the tire. You would only get a couple feet before you run out of leverage and rope, so I suspect this method is to get it out of a rut or over a small obstacle, at times when you are struggling to get the gun a foot at a time.

I'll try it at work tomorrow on a 25 pounder and see how it works out.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Wayne Henderson

Great illustration of 6 guys who have never moved a 25 pdr before.

I once asked the RAAHS boys about drag ropes, for the use of, and the polite answer had something to do with having a truck and 6 blokes and if my mum knew who my father was.

Also depends what frogs/chains the drag rope has, hooks or rings.

Years ago I saw some photos of boys dragging 25's up mud hills in PNG and they were using ropes and the lower ranks, nothing wrapped around rims though.

A very colourful posting! Thanks for the smiles. When you used the word 'frogs', I half anticipated an insult of the French, but no it was a technical term.

[lynx42]

702757359.jpg

A 6'' gun being hauled across rough ground. I guess the principle is the same for the 25pdr. and 6pdr. as well.

Regards Rick.

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Wayne Henderson

Great illustration of 6 guys who have never moved a 25 pdr before.

Well, from experience I can tell you that the guy at the barrel has a very important job to do. If the fellow at the lunnette holding the handspike lets go at that level of elevation, the gun is going to nose in. Trust me, they are very heavy and hard to make right again without use of a vehicle.

Myself and one other fellow were setting up a display at an old folks home when we nosed in with a 25 pounder. I literally lifted the other guy off the ground. There was an old artillery veteran sitting on a bench watching us and chuckling when it happenned. We asked him if he had ever done that. With a glimmer in his eye, he answered "oh yes".

We had to hook the Bren gun Carrier onto it and block the wheels to get it to come back down.

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

With the mention of moving 25 pounders, my grandfather was in the 2/1st Pioneers and it is reported that ...."after two days in Port Moresby, A, B, and C Companies moved to Owers’ Corner at the base of the Kokoda Trail and up the track through Uberi to Ioribaiwa. The battalion patrolled and manned defensive positions along Imita Ridge and helped the 14th Field Regiment move their 25-pounder guns up the track to the foot of Imita Ridge". (Accessed February 28, 2017 from: https://www.awm.gov.au/unit/U56185

So I suppose there was the odd trick learned about how to get them up a mountain side.



Photographs sourced from the Australian War Memorial - Accessed Tuesday, 28 February 2017 from:
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/027024;
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P02424.024; and https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P02424.004

Kind Regards
Lionel