A really old friend in Spain sent me this photo, taken from a catalogue on "Ordnance Captured from the Enemy" held at the Grand Kursal casino, in the National Zone in Spain during the Civil War of 1936-1939
He described it as a Schneider mod. 1912 75 mm- Now Mwxico w, along with the former USSR were among the nations that assisted the Spanih "Repiblic" militarily.. could this perhaps be a former Mexican Schneider?
The "Popular Front" gov't of Leon Blum in France sent 12 St. Chamonds as part of a lager package of military assistance to the Spanish" Popular Front' gov.t of Madrid.. Here's a photo of one of them captured by the National Forces , exhibited like other captured ordnance, at the Grand Kursal..
-- Edited by Brunner88 on Tuesday 14th of February 2017 05:37:32 PM
Spain produced its own 75mm Schneiders under license at Trubia in Asturias. But all the equipment exhibited at the Kursaal were of foreign procedence. According to Spanish sources up to 17 Schneider mod 1912 arrived to Spanish republican ports between Nov 1936 and April 1937, usuallyi in small batches. Only 8 have its origin recorded: 8 polish made (4 MPC2 & 4 LD)
The "Popular Front" gov't of Leon Blum in France sent 12 St. Chamonds as part of a lager package of military assistance to the Spanish" Popular Front' gov.t of Madrid.. Here's a photo of one of them captured by the National Forces , exhibited like other captured ordnance, at the Grand Kursal..
The image is of a 75mm Mle 1897 not a 75mm St-Chamond
There's a simple reason that Schneider guns would be in Belgrade - the Serbian state bought several hundred before WW1
Spain produced its own 75mm Schneiders under license at Trubia in Asturias. But all the equipment exhibited at the Kursaal were of foreign procedence. According to Spanish sources up to 17 Schneider mod 1912 arrived to Spanish republican ports between Nov 1936 and April 1937, usuallyi in small batches. Only 8 have its origin recorded: 8 polish made (4 MPC2 & 4 LD)
That's right: but they were Schneider Model 1906. (they bought 200 directly from Schneider before production began in Spain) I am no aware that Poland had the industrial capacity to manufacture its own artillery.. The only gun of 75mm caliber that Poland manufactured (pre-1939( was the 75 mm Wz 36, and they required assistance from Schneider.. Now you mention the Schneider LD, wonder if some of these came from Bolivia, along with some ancient Krppps 60 mm?
I'm sorry but Spanish sources disagree on the number and type of Schneiders arriving in Spain during the civil war. Usually.Schneider 1897, 1912 and 1922 are mixed up or generally labelled as one type or another. This is also valid for the locally produced Trubia-Schneiders which are sometimes referred as 1912 or 1906/1912.
In the case of the Spanish produced gun, both the original imported batch (200) and the production license was for the 1906 model; but the gun, which was in production until 1936, was subjected to several modifications (upgraded to 1912 specifications?)
Regarding the imported guns, sources only identify Poland and Bolivia as its origin, but most of the guns seemed to be 1897 rather than 1912, and only the Bolivians are just labelled 1912 LD or not labelled at all.
Thanks for bringing up the information. My files indicate only one battery of Schneiders 75 mm LDs acquired from Bolvia (, the other two batteries were offered to the U.S. by the Bolivian govt. along with other Chaco War surplus) in 1942.. The Bolivian LDs were model 1911.. and from the looks and specs appear to be similar to the Spanish Schneider Mod. 1906
If you look at the topic under Paraguayan 75 mm L.14 mountan gun you'll see that reference to sales to the Spanish Republic- which (by the way, included Vickers Berthier light machine guns, Spanish -built Mauser md. 1927s, Maxim mod. 1891 and 1898 magine guns that Paraguay obtained from the Argentine-all of these weapons in 7,65 mm caliber) and one Vickers E 6-ton tank Type B (1 x 47 mm gun)
Any specs on the Schneider 1906 as modified in 1912?
Cheers
Gunther
-- Edited by Brunner88 on Thursday 16th of February 2017 06:08:25 AM