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Bourbeau Memorial - 3" Gun - New Bedford, MA - Gallery

#1: Bourbeau Memorial - 3" Gun - New Bedford, MA - Gallery Author: vagabond, Location: Constantly moving across US

Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 8:16 pm
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Hi All,

We’ve added a gallery of photos of this M1902 3” Gun that I stumbled upon in New Bedford, MA.

www.vgbimages.com/AFV-...718_W273mh

#2: Re: Bourbeau Memorial - 3" Gun - New Bedford, MA - Gallery Author: JG300-Ascout, Location: Cyberspace

Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:31 pm
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Question: Is this not the same type of gun located on the campus of Oak Ridge Military Academy? Pictured with it's caisson.

www.waymarking.com/way...on_Caisson

Click link and small pics to enlarge.

Back in '66, this gun (without caisson) got wheeled during the hours of darkness a few hundred yards down the road and left in the Commandant of Cadets front yard, but I wouldn't know anything about that.... Rolling Eyes

#3: Re: Bourbeau Memorial - 3" Gun - New Bedford, MA - Gallery Author: lovett155, Location: Falls Church/Washington DC

Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 7:19 am
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The Oak Ridge 3-Inch M 1902 is not pictured with a Caisson. This is a Limber. A Caisson is only towed behind limbers and is the main ammunition carrier for the field piece. A limber is what the six horse team hooks to in order to tow both guns and caissons.

R/

Ralph Lovett

#4: Re: Bourbeau Memorial - 3" Gun - New Bedford, MA - Gallery Author: JG300-Ascout, Location: Cyberspace

Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 3:31 pm
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- lovett155

The Oak Ridge 3-Inch M 1902 is not pictured with a Caisson. This is a Limber. A Caisson is only towed behind limbers and is the main ammunition carrier for the field piece. A limber is what the six horse team hooks to in order to tow both guns and caissons.

R/

Ralph Lovett

Thanks. Can you tell I'm not arty? Laughing

Back in the '60's, there was only the gun, so the limber is an addition. I also see a note to the effect of a second gun there, but no pic. I may run by some nice day soon since it's only about an hour away.
That gun was fully functional as late as the '60's, and may still be. I've seen some buzz about ceremonial rounds being an issue now that the area around the school has been well developed. Back in the day, it was pretty remote except for the original community down highway 150.

#5: Re: Bourbeau Memorial - 3" Gun - New Bedford, MA - Gallery Author: lovett155, Location: Falls Church/Washington DC

Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 1:01 am
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I was just looking back over the photos of the Oak Ridge 3-Inch M1902 Field Gun Limber. This is absolutely not the correct limber for this gun. It is one of the Russian 76.2cm Field Gun Limbers that were imported a few years back. Notice the wheels have 14 spokes not the 16 of the US Archibald Artillery Wheel. These Russian limbers have been all over the place and have been frequently falsely advertised as German Limbers. (there is almost no similarity between this limber and any US or German WW1 or WW2 Era limber) This is the first time I have seen this Frankenstein combination on a US Field Gun. I know that someone was trying to make the 3 inch gun look more complete by matching it with the Russian Limber but it is about as correct as putting a piper cub engine in a P51.

#6: Re: Bourbeau Memorial - 3" Gun - New Bedford, MA - Gallery Author: JG300-Ascout, Location: Cyberspace

Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 1:15 am
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- lovett155

I was just looking back over the photos of the Oak Ridge 3-Inch M1902 Field Gun Limber. This is absolutely not the correct limber for this gun. It is one of the Russian 76.2cm Field Gun Limbers that were imported a few years back. Notice the wheels have 14 spokes not the 16 of the US Archibald Artillery Wheel. These Russian limbers have been all over the place and have been frequently falsely advertised as German Limbers. (there is almost no similarity between this limber and any US or German WW1 or WW2 Era limber) This is the first time I have seen this Frankenstein combination on a US Field Gun. I know that someone was trying to make the 3 inch gun look more complete by matching it with the Russian Limber but it is about as correct as putting a piper cub engine in a P51.

Correctness was almost certainly not a priority. I remember when there was only the gun (which was subsequently "secured" from movement"). This addition was probably an effort to achieve the same effect, lest some rowdy cadets get into more hooliganism (of which there were several examples...the temporary disappearance of an M1911 .45 from the arms room being one example. It reappeared upon threats of calls to the FBI being made manifest).

This was a 3rd Army ROTC school, with a very complete arms room back in the day...and unthinkable in today's environment. The standard arms for the cadet corps was M1 Garands...only the drill team had Springfield '03's, all dressed up with white leather slings and some chrome. There was a mortar in the arms room, too. Something on the order of an 81mm. Also a BAR and some Browning MG's. Only thing we ever fired was .22 target rifles on the rifle team...there is a range under the gym.

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