[4] The howitzers could be mounted on either a travelling siege carriage, which enabled them to be semi-mobile, or on a steel bed, which were then positioned in fixed defences or fortifications.

Ten 6.3 in (16 cm) Howitzers were landed in Egypt in 1882 to form part of a Royal Artillery Siege Train during the Anglo-Egyptian War, however they were not used in action.

[6] Many were mounted in Forts and batteries around the United Kingdom as part of the fixed defences scheme.

The howitzer used black powder propellant, in silk bags which were ignited by friction tube.

[7][8][9] Both the guns and their ammunition were outdated by the time of the siege and they tended to make a lot of smoke when fired.