Many armies, one weapon: The M-56

In the early 1960s the British Army began searching for a modern design field gun to replace its aging, but still reliable, 25-Pounder gun, which had given such creditable service during WWII. At the time NATO, to which Britain was a member state, was standardizing on 105mm as the preferred caliber for its close-support artillery. Because no British company had any plans to develop a field gun of 105mm caliber and wanting to keep pace with NATO developments, the British Army approached the Italian defense manufacturer of OtO Melara. At the time the company was producing a very practical pack howitzer known as the Model 1956 105/14. It was of the required caliber, Italy was a member of NATO and, best of all, the weapon was a proven system in current service with the Italian army.

The new weapon offered a number of advantages over the older 25-Pounder it was replacing. For example, being a pack howitzer it could be dismantled into 11 constituent parts in three minutes to create manageable loads for ease of transportation in hostile terrain such as mountains or jungle. It could be re-assembled in only four minutes and brought into action. At the time some armies were still using pack animals, including mules, to carry loads such as a dismantled M-56 howitzer, over terrain inaccessible to other forms of transport. The Italian gun was sufficiently compact to be carried by fixed wing transport aircraft without having to be stripped down. Air lift by helicopters was another option and some types were capable of lifting the M56 as an underslung load and deliver it directly into position during operations in mountainous regions.

The British Army gave the weapon the service terminology “Howitzer Pack 105mm L10A1 on Carriage 105mm Howitzer L3A1”, but the troops shortened this to the 105mm L5 Pack Howitzer. Among some of the first units to be equipped with the M-56 was the 1st Light Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, followed by 19th Light Regiment and other batteries of the Royal Artillery serving with the then British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) deployed in West Germany during the period known as the Cold War. During the 1960s the British Army was involved operationally in Borneo, 1962-64, the Radfan, 1964, and Aden, 1963 to 1967. These deployments were supported by helicopters such as the Belverdere and Wessex, which proved invaluable in air-lifting artillery into position.

Other armies followed in acquiring the M-56 for service, including Belgium, Canada, Argentina, Indian and Pakistan. Some countries have subsequently replaced their M-56 howitzers with more modern weapons, but many still remain in service around the world. A surprising number of these countries have used their M-56s in combat situations, including Australia and New Zealand, where they deployed their weapons to provide fire support during the Vietnam War, but they did not perform as well as hoped. During the Falklands War in 1982 the Argentine forces used the weapon during the, but they were outclassed by the more modern British L118 Light Gun.

Such operational history allows re-enactment groups to incorporate the weapon into a wide range of displays and demonstrations at shows. At least one group is known to either have its own example of an M-56 or access to one for use at shows. They portray a New Zealand Army unit during the Vietnam War, but other groups depicting different conflicts or national armies of the Cold War period can include the weapon as part of their display. If the group should have a vehicle, such as a Land Rover of the period, it can be shown towing the howitzer to demonstrate its mobility and how it was deployed ready to fire.

Owning a complete M-56 is unusual but not impossible and examples sometimes become available with prices being affected by condition. These are mostly offered online, so a bit of surfing the Internet is involved. Collectors can obtain examples of ammunition, but because the howitzer fired the standard U.S.-made M1 ammunition, this makes it easier to include these items along with other M-56-related material.

The first of two types of ammunition fired by the M-56 was the M1 high explosive round, weighing almost 42 lbs. The second type was the specialised M67 High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT), weighing 37 lbs. with a muzzle velocity of 1,391fps on firing. Other types of ammunition available for use with the howitzer included armour-piercing, smoke and illuminating shells, examples of which can be added to a collection.

The ammunition was semi-fixed type, meaning the projectile could be removed from the shell case so that increment charges could be added or removed to help vary the range. A maximum range of more than 11,560 yards was possible with the high-explosive round, which made it useful when providing fire support to infantry. Operated by a crew of six, the weapon could achieve a rate of fire up to eight rounds per minute for rapid effect. During the Falklands War the Argentine M-56 guns inflicted many casualties against the British. In service with the British Army, the howitzer was usually towed by the 3/4-ton Land Rover that could also transport the crew, with ammunition being transported by other vehicles in the battery along with other stores.

As with other pieces of artillery, military enthusiasts and modelers take an interest in seeing such weaponry on display at shows. They each use such events as opportunities to take lots of photographs for reference and check points of detail to get a better understanding of the weapon. The M-56 measured almost 12 feet in length and almost 5 feet in width, and when firing in its normal mode it was 6-ft.-5- n height. The axles could be adjusted to reduce the silhouette of the howitzer when firing. In the anti-tank role the overall height was lowered to less than 5 ft. To help adjust the range, the barrel could be elevated between -5 degrees and +65 degrees and traverse 30 degrees either side of centre line. The M-56 was fitted with a hydraulic buffer and helical recuperator under the barrel slide, assisted by a multi-baffle muzzle brake, to control and greatly reduce the recoil.

Some armies have replaced their M-56 howitzers with more modern weapons. The British Army has used the L118 Light Gun since the 1980s. The weight of the howitzer was 1.26 tons, but this could be reduced by removing the gun shield, which exposed the crew to small arms fire and shell splinters when operating in the open. This option was not always taken, even when firing from prepared gun pits in a fire base when sand bags provided some cover.

After more than 60 years of service the M-56 is considered by some to be a historical item and is often seen in museum exhibitions. A few remain as “gate guardians” or displayed in British Army barracks such as Pirbright Camp in Surrey. However, to see one in action or simply displayed at a re-enactment event or military vehicle show is something which is bound to please all military enthusiasts.

It really is worth keeping your eyes open to spot this unusual weapon outside a museum.