From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
The trial of a 40mm gun on a high-speed anti-submarine boat, detailing structural issues and production dependencies.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 175\1\ img019 | |
| Date | 22th August 1941 | |
| To Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} from Ve. a.de.He. c.to-Eg. Ve.1/CB.22.8.41. 40 mm. Gun on Powered Mounting installed in High Speed Anti-Submarine Boat at Felixstowe. In accordance with arrangements made with Lt. Howes and with the approval of the Rear Admiral Coastal Forces, the 40 mm. gun on powered mounting was installed in a boat at Felixstowe last week-end and was taken to sea on Tuesday. Four rounds only were fired, it being clear that the deck needed stiffening. The boat, therefore, returned to harbour to have the necessary structural alterations carried out and for Rolls-Royce to fit a new extractor. Since then, we have been in touch with Lt. Cdr.{W. J. Chandler - Chief Clerk} Buck (R.A.C.F.) who tells us that although they are very keen on the equipment and think it is just what they require, they have been told by Captain Green, A.D.N.O. that there is no possibility of them receiving any of these weapons for service use and they therefore consider that no useful purpose will be served by extended trials. It would seem that A.D.N.O. has got the impression that even though the gun might be very useful to them, production could not commence for a very long time. This, of course, is not the case, the actual production depending on three things :- (1) The ability of the B.U.S.M. either to convert some existing single shot guns to automatic or work in some automatic guns with their existing production (the two guns are essentially the same except for hopper feed). (2) The ability of Nash & Thompson to supply quickly, hydraulic fittings on the turret. (3) The ability of the L.M.& S. to manufacture the structural part of the mounting either in place of the existing pedestal mountings or as extra production. Meanwhile, the gun remains on the boat, but no work is being done until we have cleared matters with Captain Green. √E Ve. | ||