7th Medium Regiment RA & others!

[David W]

[quoteDavid, I didn't take it personal][/quote] Goodoh!

Should we start a new thread, or get Mods to move part of this one, as it's hardly 7th Medium, and "others" might be pushing it a little?

OK. Assuming I'm wrong. Let's look at this in more detail. (90th Leichte later)

H.K.A.A 533 first shows up in North Africa (according to my notes) 31/05/41, but possibly earlier.
Can you confirm how many guns of which type it had at that time? (I thought 3x batteries of 5x 155mm Gpft L/38 (f)).

[Urmel]

My data really only covers CRUSADER.

I would however presume they had 155mm GPF at the time. The 155mm Schneiders were not delivered until the autumn.

A number of 155mm GPF were lost around Tobruk and at least two I think in Bardia. Which then led to re-equipping with M1917 of one of the HKAA.

For 90th Light, there is mention of exercises with these guns in their WD.

[David W]

A number of 155mm GPF were lost around Tobruk and at least two I think in Bardia. Which then led to re-equipping with M1917 of one of the HKAA.

That would make sense.
Re-equipping one Battery or one Abteilung?

[David W]

Also, what was the official German designation for the M1917 Schneider?

[JonS]

Also, what was the official German designation for the M1917 Schneider?

It varied. They captured some from the French, some from the Greeks (I think) some from the Yugos (I think), some from the British (I think), some from the Russians (?), and various other national gunparks. Each one seemed to get it's own designation dependant on the source it was captured from.

[David W]

I'm guessing that the ones that are being presented in this thread as being used in North Africa originated from France.

[Urmel]

Nope, Tunisia.

The GPF came from Metropolitan France captures, the M1917 were Tunisian in origin.

Haven't forgotten to go through teh D.A.K. WD, but it's a white witch to find anything in there.

[Urmel]

Sorry, while from Tunisia, they were (f), i.e. French. These are the 'Tunis guns' that you sometimes see references to. The picture in the post shows a Greek version (g), apparently.

DAK WD confirms this equipment in documents dated 11 Jan and 14 Feb 42. In the letter requesting also special roller assemblies with rubber tyres to mount the guns on - their original tyres would not have been any good for motorised transport.

[David W]

JBond & others, two questions.
What was the correct designation for these particular guns?
The D.A.K W/D refer to them in relation to H.K.A.A 533 or 90th Leichte?

[Urmel]

H.K.A.A. 533

Scroll down to the picture of the gun here for more info: http://replay.waybackmachine.org/200605 ... tanks.html

[David W]

From what I can determine from the link you posted it would be " 15.5cm sF/H 413 (f) "

[Urmel]

Typo. Should be 414(f)

See the last gun here for Finnish use, technical details, numbers:

http://www.jaegerplatoon.net/ARTILLERY6.htm

[David W]

Thanks.

[David W]

Just to confuse matters further, I have just been reading in "The Med' & Middle East" Vol iii (Playfair) that towards the end of 1941 the Americans sent the Allies in North Africa a number of "American howitzers of 155mm calibre".
What guns might those have been?

[Urmel]

My guess is the US version of the M1917.

http://www.landships.freeservers.com/15 ... neider.htm