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At the outbreak of the Boer War, the towns of Mafeking, Kimberley and Ladysmith, were besieged. Ladysmith was the most vulnerable of the three towns and had it fallen a great moral victory could be claimed by the Boer forces. At anchor off Capetown were the cruisers, HMS ''Terrible'' and ''Powerful''; the British Commander in [[Natal]], General Sir George White VC, signalled the ships for assistance, particularly long range guns. Captain P. Scott RN of ''Terrible'' was a gunnery expert, and he quickly designed a carriage for 12-pounder naval guns for transit and in action.<ref>''Field Gun''[http://www.jonford.talktalk.net/field%20gun-%20a%20century%20of%20history.html A Century of History]. Accessed 7 January 2008.</ref>

At the outbreak of the Boer War, the towns of Mafeking, Kimberley and Ladysmith, were besieged. Ladysmith was the most vulnerable of the three towns and had it fallen a great moral victory could be claimed by the Boer forces. At anchor off Capetown were the cruisers, HMS ''Terrible'' and ''Powerful''; the British Commander in [[Natal]], General Sir George White VC, signalled the ships for assistance, particularly long range guns. Captain P. Scott RN of ''Terrible'' was a gunnery expert, and he quickly designed a carriage for 12-pounder naval guns for transit and in action.<ref>''Field Gun''[http://www.jonford.talktalk.net/field%20gun-%20a%20century%20of%20history.html A Century of History]. Accessed 7 January 2008.</ref>

"Equipped with two 4.7-inch and four 12-pounder guns, Captain the Hon H Lambton, RN, and his Naval Brigade of 280 men from ''Powerful'', marched and fought over extremely rugged terrain with the guns to relieve Ladysmith. On several occasions their speed and skill in bringing the guns into action saved them from capture from the Boers. When their oxen died, the sailors (known as ''Bluejackets'') dragged and manhandled the guns themselves. The public were so taken by these exploits that the Field Gun Run was begun and a course constructed to depict the obstacles and hazards which confronted the ''Bluejackets'' in their overland march. The qualities shown by these sailors were courage, discipline, alertness and tremendous spirit, and these are qualities that tend to be developed during training for this display. Perhaps the reason that this display has survived... is that these qualities are still highly valued in today's modern Royal Navy and still appreciated by the public at large."<ref>''Field Gun: A Brief History'' [http://www.gingefullen.com/book/fieldgunhistory.htm gingefullen.com]. Accessed 7 January 2008.</ref>

"Equipped with two 4.7-inch and four 12-pounder guns, Captain the Hon H Lambton, RN, and his Naval Brigade of 280 men from ''Powerful'', marched and fought over extremely rugged terrain with the guns to relieve Ladysmith. On several occasions their speed and skill in bringing the guns into action saved them from capture from the Boers. When their oxen died, the sailors (known as ''Blackjackets'') dragged and manhandled the guns themselves. The public were so taken by these exploits that the Field Gun Run was begun and a course constructed to depict the obstacles and hazards which confronted the ''Blackjackets'' in their overland march. The qualities shown by these sailors were courage, discipline, alertness and tremendous spirit, and these are qualities that tend to be developed during training for this display. Perhaps the reason that this display has survived... is that these qualities are still highly valued in today's modern Royal Navy and still appreciated by the public at large."<ref>''Field Gun: A Brief History'' [http://www.gingefullen.com/book/fieldgunhistory.htm gingefullen.com]. Accessed 7 January 2008.</ref>

==Competition==

==Competition==

''See video with commentary [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSVrXQqHL44&feature=related here]''

''See video with commentary [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSVrXQqHL44&feature=related here]''<br>

The Royal Naval Museum Library information sheet details the requirements of the competition:  

The Royal Naval Museum Library information sheet details the requirements of the competition:<ref>''The Field Gun Run'' op cit.</ref>

"The gun run is divided into three sections. The first section is called the ''run out''. The guns are pulled from the start line and manhandled over a five-foot "home wall". Wooden spars weighing 170lb are erected and wires rigged across a 28-foot "chasm". The first men are hauled across, then a pair each carrying a 120lb wheel for the gun carriage. The gun carriage and gun barrels (900lb) follow. The remainder of the gun carriages' wheels and limbers are pulled through a hole in the second wall, called the "enemy wall". Each gun crew then "engages" the enemy by firing three rounds. The stopwatch stops as the third round is fired.

"The gun run is divided into three sections. The first section is called the ''run out''. The guns are pulled from the start line and manhandled over a five-foot "home wall". Wooden spars weighing 170lb are erected and wires rigged across a 28-foot "chasm". The first men are hauled across, then a pair each carrying a 120lb wheel for the gun carriage. The gun carriage and gun barrels (900lb) follow. The remainder of the gun carriages' wheels and limbers are pulled through a hole in the second wall, called the "enemy wall". Each gun crew then "engages" the enemy by firing three rounds. The stopwatch stops as the third round is fired.

The third section is called the ''run home''. At the sounding of a bugle the final phase is to take all their equipment through the narrow gaps in the home wall. the gun is then reassembled and the gun crews race to the finishing line.

The third section is called the ''run home''. At the sounding of a bugle the final phase is to take all their equipment through the narrow gaps in the home wall. the gun is then reassembled and the gun crews race to the finishing line.

The average time for the run out is one minute twenty-five seconds; for the run back one minute and for the run home twenty-one seconds. All three stages are carefully timed and these are added later to the crew’s actual running time to give the official time for each crew. Each crew competes seven times against each of the other crews. Only two crews run during each performance. A four minute run was first recorded in 1948, and three minute run in 1962. Nowadays runs in less than three are fairly commonplace. The fastest time ever was set by the Fleet Air Arm in the final competition.  

The average time for the run out is one minute twenty-five seconds; for the run back one minute and for the run home twenty-one seconds. All three stages' times are added later to give the official time for each crew. Each crew competes seven times against each of the other crews. Only two crews run during each performance. A four minute run was first recorded in 1948, and three minute run in 1962. Nowadays runs in less than three are fairly commonplace. The fastest time ever was set by the Fleet Air Arm in the final competition.

 

The last ever official Gun Run took place on 2 August 1999 between Portsmouth and the Fleet Air Arm. The Field Gun crews all wore black arms bands which, contrary to their military orders. They had been told that a two-second penalty for each of the 18 men in the team wearing an arm band would be given. Both teams wore arm bands so that neither would loose due to penalty points, but neither team was penalised.

===Equipment weights===

===Equipment weights===