1945, serving in the home defence of Britain in World War II where they were deployed on railways in the south and east of Britain, along with 12" rail howitzers. Their main role in WW2 was to bombard any hostile landing, and potentially any captured airfields. Live firing produced a significant recoil and so rail spurs were laid specifically for the rail guns which incorporated ground anchors, and allowed firing in the general direction of the track. The blast wave from the guns could damage civilian infrastructure so the rail spurs were generally in unpopulated areas. Combat service 9.2-inch railway guns expended 45,000 rounds during World War I. At the Armistice guns in service were : First Army : 6 guns : Batteries 366 (2), 461 (2), 523 (2) Second Army : 3 guns : Batteries 45 (2), 53 (1) Third Army : 4 guns : Batteries 363 (2), 442 (2) Fifth Army : 3 guns : Batteries 53 (1), 546 (2) Mk XIII guns remained in service until 1945; all others were declared obsolete after World War I. See also List of railway artillery Weapons of comparable role, performance and era 24 cm SK L/40 "Theodor Karl" : Approximate German equivalent 24 cm SK L/30 "Theodor Otto" : Approximate German equivalent Notes and references Bibliography Dale Clarke, British Artillery 1914-1919. Heavy Artillery. Osprey Publishing, Oxford UK, 2005 General Sir Martin Farndale, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Western Front 1914–18. London: Royal Artillery Institution, 1986. Major D Hall, The South African Military History Society. Military History Journal - Vol 2 No 3 June 1972. Guns in South Africa 1899-1902 Part V and VI I.V. Hogg & L.F. Thurston, British Artillery Weapons & Ammunition 1914 - 1918. London: Ian Allan, 1972 Admiral Sir Percy Scott, "Fifty Years in the Royal Navy". London: John Murray, 1919 Further reading Harry W Miller, United States Army Ordnance Department, Railway Artillery: A Report on the Characteristics, Scope of Utility, Etc., of Railway Artillery, Volume II, Pages 126-136. Washington : Government Print Office, 1921 External links World War I railway artillery of the United Kingdom World War II railway artillery of the United Kingdom 234 mm artillery Railway guns