Canon de 155 mm Mle 1932

[jopaerya]

Hello All

Based on information from David Lehmann a short story
about this gun and the use in the May days in 1940 .

There were only 16 guns mainly in service in the French Navy ,
4 battery' s with each 4 guns , the battery's 1 and 4 were
used in the French colonies in Afrika and the battery's 2
and 3 were used in May days on the western front .
The guns were mobile guns transported by halftracks but
could also used as coast defence guns .

Especially battery 3 is for me very special because these
guns were used during the fighting in Holland in 1940 .
This battery 3 was stationed in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen and fired
from there on Walcheren to support the French troops .
During the battle of the Sloedam these guns fired on the
advancing troops of the Waffen-SS Standarte Deutschland.
The guns kept firing during the retreat of the French forces
from Walcheren . Later the battery's 2 and 3 were used
in the Dunkirkpocket and were left there.

French name = Canon de 155 mm L Mle 1932 S
German name = 15.5 cm K. 424 (f)
Weight = 16.600 Kg.
Transport = 3 loads (1) Barrel (2) Carriage (3) Platform
Maximum range = 27.5 K.m.
Barrel lenght = L/55
Shell weight = 50 K.g.
Explosive charge = 5.5 K.g.

Photo's = Ebay.de

Regards Jos

[jopaerya]

Hello here a little update

Thanks to Alain Chazette , I recieved a picture from 1944
from one of the batteries that were stationed in Africa .
After the liberation of Nord-Africa these guns were reused
by the French 2nd Armored Division / 2e Division Blindée,
2e DB and in 1945 were used to fire in the Royanpocket .
On the photo the 15.5 cm gun with a Tractor M4 .

Regards Jos

[Carl Schwamberger]

"After the liberation of Nord-Africa these guns were reused
by the French 2nd Armored Division / 2e Division Blindée,
2e DB and in 1945 were used to fire in the Royanpocket .
On the photo the 15.5 cm gun with a Tractor M4 . "

Fired through 1945... I wonder if the bore were badly worn, or if there were replacement tubes available?

[jopaerya]

Hello

So we have 8 guns in France during the Battle of France in 1940 all were
captured by the German troops and the 8 guns in North-Africa , I don't know
how may rounds the 8 guns in North -Africa fired before they were reused by
the Free French troops .

Regards Jos

[EPOCH3]

For your enjoyment -

Canon de 155 L Mle 32 S (Schneider)
Kanone 424 (f)

http://members.cox.net/oddessa_ss/155%20424_F_001.jpg

Regards

[jopaerya]

Thanks EPOCH3

For your nice documentation , do you have the complete book ?
Here a other photo from 2 of the captured guns at Pas de Calais .

Photo = Objectief Douvres from Paul Gamelin

Regards Jos

[Chazette]

155 mm Long Mle 1932 Schneider (portée : 26 km).
Quatre batteries en seront construites. Deux d'entre elles (n°2 et n°3) seront affectées en première région maritime, stockées à Montebourg et déployées dans le secteur Dunkerque/Gravelines/Aa où elles seront partiellement détruites puis capturées en 1940. La troisième est envoyée en Algérie à Nemours (actuel Ghazaouet). La dernière batterie est versée à l'artillerie coloniale et installée en protection de Dakar (a priori à Yof). Ces batteries sont en fait plus "semi-fixes" que réellement "mobiles"
Canon de 155 mm Schneider Long Mle 1932 des batteries côtières mobiles, qui ne sont
en fait que semi-mobiles : la pièce, pour être déplacée, doit être décomposée en quatre
fardeaux distincts, chacun mû par un tracteur semi-chenillé SOMUA
texte EB

[Manuferey]

The 155 mm Long Mle 1932 Schneider guns at Montebourg (Cotentin) were part of the Groupe Mobile d'Artillerie Lourde de Côte et de DCA that included 2 batteries of 155 mm guns and 6 batteries of 90 mm AA guns. Between 1936 and 1939, this "Groupe Mobile" was based in a former airship hangar from the French Navy at Ecausseville.

(Source in French: http://phivaast.club.fr/ecausseville/historique.htm)

The hangar still stands today and it's quite an impressive structure. It reminds me of the US Navy's airship hangar in Tillamook, Oregon.

Emmanuel

[nuyt]

are we really talking about the same guns here (at the end of the thread)
http://www.network54.com/Forum/330333/t ... guese+guns

[jopaerya]

Hi Nuyt

I am not a French gun specialist but maybe Alain Chazette can help us .
the guns on your photo looks like a naval gun 19.4 cm ?????
For the 15.5 cm guns at Dakar please see , especially the last photo .
http://www.fortiff.be/iff/index.php?p=2579

Regards Jos

[nuyt]

Tks, Jos!

[Carl Schwamberger]

Anything in the documents for these cannon indicating how they were used? What sort of targets, if they fired as corps artillery or as a specialize battalion under a army command, or as reinforcing for divsion fires?

[jopaerya]

Hello All

Here a new photo of the 155 mm Mle 1932 with a French halftrack
Somua MCG4 in the backyard of Batterie du Bastion II at Calais ,
must just after the occupation of Calais in 1940 .

Photo = Ebay.de

Regards Jos

[SASH155]

Last photo did not post at all. Otherwise, beautiful photos of the "Matériel de 155 L mle. 1932 Schneider", a very rare and magnificent example of Schneider's engineering prowess. I had no idea any had survived into the late part of the war, as evidenced by the guns used by the 2ème DB.

[jopaerya]

Hello

I have deleted the photo , because I was my upload quota was full
so I have to delete some pictures and drawings , but for you .

Regards Jos