6 Pounder Anti Tank Gun
Petawawa, Ontario

The 6 Pounder Anti-Tank gun was extensively used by the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery during the Second World War. A British design, the 6-pounder first saw action in May 1942 at Gazala in North Africa. It made an immediate impact on the battlefield as it was able to penetrate any enemy tank then in service.

As heavier tank designs were brought into service, notably the Tiger I and Panther. The standard 6 pounder shot was only effective frontally at short ranges and shallow angles against the front armour of these new designs (and only the turret of the Panther), but it was still effective against them from other angles. The situation was somewhat improved by the development of more sophisticated ammunition, in form of the Armour-Piercing, Composite Rigid shot, and the Armour-Piercing, Discarding Sabot shot, which was available from 1944.

In the Royal Artillery regiments the 6-pounders were joined by the 17-pounders starting in 1943, but in infantry units the gun remained the sole AT gun in service until 1960, when it was finally declared obsolete.

General Characteristics

Weight: 2,520 pounds
Height: 50.5 inches
Weight: 2,520 pounds
Length: 185.25 inches
Width: 71.5 inches
Elevation: 15 degrees
Depression: 5 Degrees
Transverse: 90 degrees, 45 right and 45 left

This gun is located outside Royal Canadian Legion Branch 517 in Petawawa.

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Photos and text provided by LCol L. Jensen