french railway gun

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

520mm Mle 1916 howitzer:

Image from EBay
Sturm78

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

340mm Mle 1912 Schneider:

Image from EBay
Sturm78

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

I am not sure about this gun: 320mm Mle 1917 (ex 305mm Mle 93-96) ??

Image from EBay
Sturm78

[Manuferey]

Sturm78,

320mm Mle 1917 (ex-305mm Mle 93-96) or 305mm Mle 93-96 (2 still existing in 1940) on a 6 axle carriage.

According to Guy François in a previous post in this thread, we can tell which caliber version only by looking at the registration numbers on the side of the carriages. Unfortunately, it is not possible on your picture.

Emmanuel

[Manuferey]

I think that this picture from 1916 below shows two French 155 C Mle 1881 on Peigné-Canet carriage for normal track (2 x 1 axle) (the 2 x 2 axle version was adapted to the 0.60 m wide track). However, the guns do not show the handles that we typically see on most pictures of the 155 C Mle 1881 gun on the 2 x 2 axle version of the Peigné carriage.

Could it be another type of gun?



Emmanuel

[ALVF]

Hello,

First, the french Army used only Peigné-Canet railway guns on 0,60 m track, 16 of the model 1893 (155 C modèle 1881) and 32 of the model 1897 (155 C modèle 1881 or 120 mm modèle 1878), the 1897 mounting accepted alternate use of these two weapons on request, each mounting had 2 weapons ready for use (gun and howitzer). The german Army captured any of these guns in First World War.

Secondly, the german Army captured 6 russian Peigné-Canet railway howitzers in 1915 in northern Russia. They were 152 mm howitzers of Schneider-Canet model. The 6 russian railway howitzers were captured all with missing breechs. So, the mountings were modified and 7,62 cm FK 02 anti-aircraft guns were mounted on the 6 railway trucks by Rheinmetall. One of this gun was still used with an armored train used during the Kapp's putsch in 1920 in Berlin.
Yours sincerely,
Guy François.

[Manuferey]

Thank you very much, Guy! Now I understand that the caption of the picture on Gettyimages.com is correct:
“Gun mounts and captured Russian railway guns on the yard – probably 1916-1917”

The reason I mentioned the French 155 C Mle 1881 on Peigné-Canet carriage for normal track (2 x 1 axle) is because it appears on a Schneider catalogue of 1902: "L’artillerie Schneider-Canet à l’Exposition universelle de 1900". The gun looks to me like a 155 C Mle 1881 to me and the carriage looks the same as for the 152 mm Russian howitzers above.

So, the mountings were modified and 7,62 cm FK 02 anti-aircraft guns were mounted on the 6 railway trucks by Rheinmetall. One of this gun was still used with an armored train used during the Kapp's putsch in 1920 in Berlin.

Thank you again ! I have found the details on page 42 of your book "Eisenbahnartillerie" along with pictures.

Emmanuel

[EPOCH3]

Hi - here is a little better picture showing the Rheinmetall carriage for reference (1918, AA mount configuration) showing many similarities but also the subtle differences in design. The yard photo dated 1916 above does appear to be the Rheinmetall carriage.
Kind Regards
Greg

[Manuferey]

Thank you, Greg.

Here is another side view of the Rheinmetall carriage with the 7.62 cm Flak gun (expired ebay.de auction):



Emmanuel

[ALVF]

Hello,

The first Peigné-Canet gun was built only as a prototyp on normal gauge truck with a 155 C modèle 1881. It was tested by french Army with the firing of many hundreds rounds at "Commission de Calais" and Peigné-Canet guns were adopted in 0,60 m gauge for the defence of the four great Fortress in eastern France (Verdun, Toul, Epinal, Belfort). The 16 first guns (modèle 1893) were built by Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée ( Le Havre works) and the 32 other trucks (modèle 1897) by Schneider because Schneider had bought FCM artillery works of Le Havre in 1897. Mr Canet was now an engineer of Schneider (chief of artillery department) till his premature death.
Russia bought 6 railway guns and Denmark also bought 6 guns for mobile defence of Copenhagen.
In my first study of "Histoire de l'ALVF française" (2001), they are several photographs and drawings of these guns, especially russian guns, just after capture, photographs of AA german mount and photographs of use by germans till 1920 at Berlin.
Yours sincerely,
Guy François.

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

A 340mm Mle 1912 Schneideer:

Image from EBay
Sturm78

[Manuferey]

Hello,

The first Peigné-Canet gun was built only as a prototyp on normal gauge truck with a 155 C modèle 1881. It was tested by french Army with the firing of many hundreds rounds at "Commission de Calais" and Peigné-Canet guns were adopted in 0,60 m gauge for the defence of the four great Fortress in eastern France (Verdun, Toul, Epinal, Belfort). The 16 first guns (modèle 1893) were built by Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée ( Le Havre works) and the 32 other trucks (modèle 1897) by Schneider because Schneider had bought FCM artillery works of Le Havre in 1897. Mr Canet was now an engineer of Schneider (chief of artillery department) till his premature death.
Russia bought 6 railway guns and Denmark also bought 6 guns for mobile defence of Copenhagen.
In my first study of "Histoire de l'ALVF française" (2001), they are several photographs and drawings of these guns, especially russian guns, just after capture, photographs of AA german mount and photographs of use by germans till 1920 at Berlin.
Yours sincerely,
Guy François.

Merci Général.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find your 2001 study yet. Hopefully, one day.

Emmanuel

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Two images from Ebay:

Image 1 : 400mm Mle 1915-16 and other guns
Image 2 : I am not sure...320mm Mle 1870-93 (or 70-30) ??

Sturm78

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

240mm Mle 1893-96M railgun abandoned by Germans

Image from LIFE
Sturm78

[jopaerya]

Warszawa Ochota railway station in 1944 , 37 cm Haubitze 711 (f) . Please see also page 19 .

Regards Jos