I was with the RAA for 6 yrs in total, and knew this gun (L118/119).
From the RAEME side of things, its a maintenance nightmare, and from the GNR side of things, its fragile. However WRT this incident......
A few years back, we had the same problem, the rd cooked off 1/2 up the tube, and fragged. Blew the gun to hell, but no one was killed, although one GNR got a fractured hip out of it, and a fire was started.
Cause at the end of the investigation was ammo. A fault in the manufacture process at yes, ADI :
The UK 105 is not precussuion fired, but fired electrically. The UK gun has a longer barrrel, and its called the Abbot ordnance here. A good punch at charge super, and adds km's on to the max range. If I remember right 17km vice 11km with the US M1 precussion type ammo with the 'M1' shorter ordnance.
Lucky that no one bought the farm over this one.
Cheers,
Wes
EDIT: US 105mm ammo, and UK 105mm ammo - two different kettles of fish, and DO NOT interchange.