WW1 gun-sighting telescope (Telescope Sighting No. 22) W.Ottley & co Ealing 1917

Description

No. 22 W. Ottway & Co Ltd Ealing 1917 Power 6 identifies a genuine World War I era British military optical instrument
Details of the Inscription:
No. 22: The specific pattern, model, or serial/unit designation assigned to the instrument.
W. Ottway & Co Ltd: The manufacturer, W. Ottway & Company Ltd, a well-known British maker of scientific, surveying, astronomical, and military optical instruments based at the Orion Works in Ealing, London.
Ealing: The location of the Orion Works factory in West London where the company manufactured equipment for the Admiralty and War Office.
1917: The year of manufacture, placing it squarely in the middle of World War I.
Power 8: The magnification strength of the optic (6x power), meaning the image appears six times closer than to the naked eye.
Observations & Features
War Department Arrow: Visible directly above "No. 22" is the classic Broad Arrow symbol (↑), which designates British Government ownership and military issue.
Specification: The stamping on the adjustment barrel clearly reads "POWER 6", meaning it has a fixed 6x magnification strength.
Electrical/Illumination Fitting: The small cylinder attachment secured with two screws and a chain-linked cap on the main tube is a reticle illumination port. During night operations, a tiny electric lamp bulb was screwed in here.
Diopter Scale: The graduated markings with the "+" and "5" indicators near the knurled grip are for focusing the eyepiece according to the individual gunner’s vision.
Original Military Application:
The Telescope Sighting No. 22 series was heavily relied upon by the British military during both WWI and WWII for various artillery platforms. This specific pattern was commonly utilized as an aiming sight for:
Field Artillery & Garrison Guns (such as coastal defense artillery batteries)
Heavy Anti-Aircraft Guns
Early Naval or High-Angle Guns
The robust, heavy brass construction—finished with a dark matte anti-reflective coating—was designed to withstand the immense percussion and recoil of heavy military ordnance.