13-pounder field gun
Workhorse of the Royal Horse Artillery
One of the first things a visitor will notice on entering the Cart and Wagon Shed is the imposing Ordnance QF (quick-firing) 13-pounder field gun on display.
Guns of this type were used extensively by the Royal Horse Artillery before, during and after World War I. They were relatively light and easily manoeuvrable and could be brought into action rapidly. They are still in service today with the King’s Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery, founded at Shoeburyness, who fire them on ceremonial state occasions.
David Nelson VC - bravery at Néry
Our gun commemorates David Nelson, and his action at Néry, 35 miles north east of Paris, at the outbreak of World War I. This resulted in some of the earliest awards of the Victoria Cross during The Great War.
David was born in Ireland in 1886 and enlisted in the British Army in 1904. In 1910, he attended the Royal Artillery School of Gunnery at Shoeburyness and obtained his First Class Certificate.
The day after war was declared, 5 August 1914, David was promoted to Sergeant in L Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, and was sent to France to support the French and Belgian armies fighting a desperate rearguard action against the million-strong German advance.
On the 1 September 1914, L Battery held up a formidable attack from the German 4th Cavalry Division. With five of its six guns knocked out of action, and with most of the Battery killed or wounded, David and two of his colleagues maintained accurate fire on the German advance until all ammunition was expended. Seriously wounded, David was taken prisoner, but managed to escape back to British lines.
For his action, David was awarded the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy, and was commissioned to Second Lieutenant.
Because of his serious injuries, he was ordered back to Shoeburyness to serve as a Gunnery Captain-Instructor where he remained until March 1918.
Locals to Shoebury will know The White House on North Shoebury Road where David lived with his wife and young son.
David was promoted to Major and went back to the front where he was again wounded in action following a massive attack by the German Army far inside British lines. He died on 8 April 1918 in a casualty clearing station at Lilliers in the Pas-de-Calais, where he remains buried in a Commonwealth War Grave bearing the Victoria Cross.
The gun on display is identical to those used by David and L Battery at Néry. It bears the number 6 which was the Battery designation of David’s gun. An original Néry gun is housed in the Imperial War Museum in London.
Return to France
In 2014, the centenary of David’s action, our gun returned to Néry, courtesy of Herefordshire gunsmith John Slough, and fired a blank charge at the spot where David won his Victoria Cross. Our Shoebury Archives logo is derived from a photo of our gun at Néry with John riding on horseback.
We are very proud to be connected with David and his heroic actions at Néry, and his service at the Royal Artillery School of Gunnery at Shoeburyness as a Captain-Instructor.