The BL 6-inch Mark XI naval gunMk XI = Mark 11, i.e. the eleventh model of BL 6-inch guns. Britain used Roman numerals to denote Marks (models) of ordnance until after World War II. was a British 50 calibres high-velocity naval gun which was mounted as primary armament on cruisers and secondary armament on pre-dreadnought battleships from 1906 onwards.
History The gun with its increased length of 50 calibres gave improved firepower over the current 6-inch Mk VII gun of 45 calibres. However, its increased length and weight made it unwieldy in the current manually operated shipboard mountings on light cruisers, which did not provide a steady platform. Britain reverted to 45-calibres guns in new warships from 1914 onwards with the BL 6-inch Mk XII gun. Of the 177 produced 126 remained for Royal Navy use in 1939.
Naval gun Guns were mounted in the following ships : The last three King Edward VII-class battleships , and laid down 1902–1904 Armoured cruisers: and laid down 1903 Bristol-class light cruisers laid down 1909 Weymouth-class cruisers laid down 1910 Chatham-class light cruisers laid down 1911 Birmingham-class light cruisers laid down 1912 Monitor as re-gunned in 1918
Coast defence gun
The Mk XI gun was emplaced for coast defence in South Africa and particularly in Australia leading up to World War II, and remained in service until the 1950s. Guns in Australia came from the decommissioned World War I cruisers HMAS Sydney, HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Brisbane and were emplaced in northern Australia and Torres Strait to defend against possible attack by Japan,For photograph of gun at Emery Point, Darwin 1934 see ID Number: P02024.026 at Australian War Memorial photo archive and on Rottnest Island WA, Brisbane and the Sydney harbourFor photograph of gun at Signal Hill 1946 see ID Number: 129982 at Australian War Memorial photo archive and Port KemblaSee The Diary and Journal of General Sir John G. N. Wilton, Royal Australian Army 1910–1977 defences.
See also List of naval guns
Weapons of comparable role, performance and era 15 cm/50 41st Year Type : Imperial Japanese Navy equivalent gun 6"/50 caliber gun : US equivalent
Surviving examples
RGF gun No. 2035 of 1905, and 1 other gun at Malgaskop, Saldanha Bay, South Africa VSM gun No. 2305 of 1912 formerly at Port Wakefield Proof Range, north of Adelaide, and since 2006 at B42 gun emplacement at Lower Georges Heights, Sydney AustraliaMR Coastal Gun harbourtrust.gov.auVSM gun No. 2305 of 1912 archive.org A coast defence gun at East Point Military museum, Darwin, AustraliaA coast defence gunflickr.com One of the HMAS Sydney guns at Leighton Battery, Fremantle, Western Australia One of HMAS Melbourne's guns at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Nowra, NSW, Australia
References
Sources David Spethman, "The Garrison Guns of Australia 1788 – 1962", published by Ron H Mortensen, Inala QLD 2008.
External links
Tony DiGiulian, British 6"/50 (15.2 cm) BL Marks XI and XI*