4.5" Howitzer Battery

The origins of the Ordinance Quick Fire (OQF) 4.5” howitzer go back as far as the Boer War of 1899-1902. The British forces begun to realize that their own field artillery was being outclassed by the more modern pieces being fielded by the Boers. The British immediately got to work developing potential contenders in an attempt to catch up.

By 1908, the 4.5” howitzer was ready for service. The 4.5” howitzer saw action on most fronts during the First World War and by the beginning of the Second World War the 4.5” howitzer continued its service with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France during 1940.

After the Fall of France, the 4.5” howitzer continued to see action in the Desert in 1940-1941 with both British and Commonwealth forces before phased out of service by the 25pdr. The 4.5” howitzer was last used operationally in early 1942 in Malaya while holding back the Japanese.

By 1943 the 4.5” howitzer was withdrawn from the field but remained in service for training purposes. It was finally declared obsolete in 1944 when ammunition stocks came to an end. The 4.5” howitzer also saw limited service with the Finnish Army during the Winter War of 1939-40. Designated the 114 H/18 by the Fins, some guns were even mounted in the BT-42 Self-propelled Assault Gun.