Ordnance QF 25-pounder Short

25-pounder Short Mark I
An Ordnance QF 25-pounder Short in 1944
Type	Field gun / howitzer
Place of origin	Australia / United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1943–1946[1]
Used by	Australian Army
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designed	1942
Unit cost	£3,300[2]
Produced	1943–1944[3][4]
No. built	213
Specifications
Mass	1,315 kg (2,900 lb) gun and carriage
Barrel length	49.8 inches (1.26 m) (14.45 calibres)
Crew	6
Shell	Various, with normal (3 charges) and super charge
Shell weight	25 pounds (11.3 kg)
Calibre	3.45 inches (87.6 mm)
Breech	Vertical-sliding-wedge
Recoil	Hydro-pneumatic, variable
Carriage	Two wheel, box trail
Elevation	-5° to +40°
Traverse	4° on carriage
Rate of fire	3-4 rpm
Muzzle velocity	1,230 ft/s (375 m/s)
Effective firing range	10,200 yd (9,300 m)
Maximum firing range	11,500 yd (10,500 m) using super charge[5]

The Ordnance QF 25-pounder Short was an Australian variant of the British Ordnance QF 25-pounder field gun/howitzer. The gun was developed by modifying the 25-pounder's design to improve its mobility during jungle warfare. Development began in 1942, and the weapon first entered service with the Australian Army the next year. It was used by several Royal Australian Artillery regiments during fighting in the South West Pacific Area, before being declared obsolete in 1946.

The development of the Ordnance QF 25-pounder Short was an important achievement for Australia's defence industry, and provided the Army with a weapon suited to conditions in the South West Pacific. Nevertheless, the gun's performance was inferior to that of the standard 25-pounder, and it received a mixed reception from artillerymen.