Some questions , regarding naval terms for gun positions

[STURM]

1. Very curious as to why the aft gun on ships were designated the 'Y' position and not the 'Z' position.

2. And would the position aft of the main gun or 'A' position, like the Seawolf VLS on the Type 23, be called a 'B' position? And what position would the Harpoons, fitted aft of the VLS be called?

3. And what position would the secondary 30mm guns on theType 23s, one port and one starboard, be called?

4. Are these terms only used by Commenwealth or NATO navies?

 

[Anixtu]

2. And would the position aft of the main gun or 'A' position, like the Seawolf VLS on the Type 23, be called a 'B' position? And what position would the Harpoons, fitted aft of the VLS be called?

3. And what position would the secondary 30mm guns on theType 23s, one port and one starboard, be called?

2) There is no need to letter these positions in the manner of multiple gun mounts as they all mount different weapon systems.

3) Wing turrets were P & Q but I'm sure those terms are not used today.

My recent experience is that small calibre mounts are taken as a group and addressed in one of the following manners, using the example of a ship with 12 mounts, a mix of 6 x GPMG, 4 x Mk44 and 2 x 30mm:

a) mounts are numbered from G1 to G12. Odd numbers starboard side, even numbers port side.

b) GPMG mounts are numbered G1 to G6. Mk44 mounts numbered M1 to M4. 30mm are "port" and "starboard".

c) mounts are numbered from S1 to S6 on the starboard side, P1 to P6 on the port side.

I don't like option c) as it breaks the odds-starboard, evens-port system that is used for everything on the ship, not just weapons, but it seems to be the system currently being pushed. Option b) is my favourite as the designation includes the exact weapon type - less room for mistakes.

 

[salthorse]

Long time ago and memory fades a little but concur, in Darings (DDs) we numbered thus:

2 x twin 4.5" Fwd = 'A' turret (fwd on 1 deck) & 'B' Turret (nearer the bridge & up one deck)
1 x twin 4.5" aft on 'X' deck = 'X' turret
Fwd single Bofor port & stbd = 'G2' (port) & 'G1' (stbd)
Aft Twin Bofors port & stbd = 'M2' (port) & 'M1' (stbd)
50 Cals = numbered port & stbd in 'M' series after the bofors sponsons.
ASW Mortar (triple barrel duck gun) right aft was always referred to as the 'mortar Mk 10' from bridge & ops room during firings