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Post Info TOPIC: mystery large French guns
Jon Hornbostel

Date:
mystery large French guns
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I have been collecting images of WWI guns for a few years, and have found several which seem to show fairly large French guns from the same "family".  These images are shown/linked below.  The guns seem to have the same carriage, which apparently is moved on specially constructed rails.  At least one of the guns seems to have recoil cylinders on top of the barrel, while at least one does not.  One image seems to show the barrel of one of these guns being moved seperately from the carriage.  I've found references to a French "340mm mortar Batignolle" but never a photo.  Can anyone help identify these pieces?


<img src=www.flinthills.com/~john/landships/0074.jpg>


<img src=www.flinthills.com/~john/landships/cnp_french_gun_italy_01.jpg>


<img src=www.flinthills.com/~john/landships/cnp_gun_somme_01.jpg>


<img src=www.flinthills.com/~john/landships/french mortar01.jpg>


www.flinthills.com/~john/landships/0074.jpg


www.flinthills.com/~john/landships/cnp_french_gun_italy_01


www.flinthills.com/~john/landships/cnp_gun_somme_01.jpg


www.flinthills.com/~john/landships/french mortar01.jpg


Thanks



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Peter Kempf

Date:
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I will get back to you. Think I know the identity of two of these guns, perhaps all three. But in a hurry right now!


/Peter K



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Roger Todd

Date:
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That fourth gun of yours, Jon...



...looks like it may be the right-hand one here:



From here: http://www.greatwardifferent.com/Great_War/French_Artillery/French_Artillery_03.htm



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Peter Kempf

Date:
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1. The gun in pic 1, with the recuperators under the camo netting, is a St Chamond 240mm Cannon Mle03, originally a coastal defense gun, but made mobile on a railway carriage. It could also be transported over road. Max range 17.3km. Shell weight: 163kg.


2. The gun shown in pics 2 & 4 (gun Italy & french mortar) is a Schneider 293mm Mortier, also originally a coastal defense gun, but made mobile on a railway carriage. It could also be transported over road. Max range 12.3km. Shell weight: 300kg. It used the same carraige as the gun above.


3. The gun being dragged - the tube only - appears to be a Filloux 370mm Mortier mle13. Like the guns above it used a on a railway carriage but could also be transported over road. Max range 10.5km. Shell weight: 540kg. Ten were ordered in 1914, used in action fram 1915.


Hope this helps!
/Peter Kempf



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Jon Hornbostel

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I want to thank Roger and Peter for their help. This encourages me to post more mystery guns.

It looks like we have a small debate going over the guns shown in photo 2 & 4; the additional image Roger found seems to show an identical gun identified as "Canon de 320", while Peter believes "Schneider 293 Mortier" is correct.

Here's what I think: the captions on the image that Roger found are reversed, and therefore Peter is right. Anyone else have an opinion?

Jon

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Roger Todd

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Jon Hornbostel wrote:


It looks like we have a small debate going over the guns shown in photo 2 & 4; the additional image Roger found seems to show an identical gun identified as "Canon de 320", while Peter believes "Schneider 293 Mortier" is correct. Here's what I think: the captions on the image that Roger found are reversed, and therefore Peter is right. Anyone else have an opinion? Jon


Yes! Of course you're right there, Jon - the captions must be reversed! Why I didn't notice, I don't know - d'oh!


The caption on the right ('Canon de 320 long sur voie ferrée') reads, roughly, 'Cannon 320 on railway', which is clearly the gun on the left!


The lefthand caption, by the same token, refers to an 'obusier' - a howitzer. Well, that's not the railway gun, so it must be the righthand cannon, which looks far more howitzer (or mortar) like anyway, thus bearing out what Peter said! Very odd gun. The French built (and designed) some great stuff! Wonderful photos, Jon, please keep posting!


 



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Pavel Dokoupil

Date:
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Hello John,
I am looking informations on 340mm mortar Batignolle for a long time too. I found these information in french book about Crapouillots:


range 2 300m, weight of the projectile 195kg and weight of explosive 93kg. Construction of these trench mortar was a similar type as 240mm mortar but,  It was necessary build concrete bed before instaling mortar.
I found finally two pictures of the mortar in a russian and french book and I attach it.


Pavel



 


Jonh, you can contact me please. 
I collect images of WWI guns too and we can exchange pictures or informations, if you will want.
My e-mail is pavld@seznam.cz



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Roger Todd

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Jon, I've found your first gun:



...on this site (which is fascinating and chock-full of French artillery):


http://www.ecpad.fr/ecpa/PagesDyn/result.asp?dossierid=185&photo=&Npage=4&collectionid=


It's a photo of the same gun, but in a slightly different position with a few seconds difference (note the positions of the men on the right, and the subtly differing angles):



And the captions says:


Vienne-le-Château, dans la Marne. Un canon de 240 mm d'artillerie sur voie ferrée est mis en batterie par les artilleurs. D'un poids de 90 tonnes, cette pièce de contrebatterie, employée dans la destruction des abris et des positions d'artillerie adverses, atteint d'une portée de 19 kilomètres. 25 juillet 1916


A bit of Babelfish fun reveals (roughly):


Vienne-le-Château, in the Marne. A railway gun of 240 mm is placed in battery by the artillerists. Of a weight of 90 tons, this was part of the counterbattery, employed in the destruction of the shelters and unfavourable artillery positions, and reached of a range of 19 kilometers. July 25, 1916

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Roger Todd

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Duh! I've just noticed that Peter answered your question about Gun No. 1 weeks ago!

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