Polish artillery captured by Germany

[Andrzej Ditrich]

H.Laskowski (renamed:'Schleisen' 15 Ersatz-Marine-Artillerie-Abteilung?) battery today+

Schlewsig-Holstein(119 Marine-Artillerie-Abteilung)

[Erik E]

Nice photos @ndrew!

Erik

[Grigory]

@ndrew,
great thanks for information and photos!

[Jan-Hendrik]

I think I know when most of these pics were taken , didn`t I , @ndrew ?

Very interesting topic at all !

8)

Jan-Hendrik

[Andrzej Ditrich]

Exactly Jan-for sure

Brgds
@ndrew

[Stan P]

Germany captured yet another type of cannon called in Polish Army as 105mm armata wz.26 (or wz.D).

In 1928 (some sources say it was in 1929) Polish Army bought in France four 105mm long-range Schneider guns for test only.

The long-range cannons were two types.

Two of them were Schneider L/31 (or L/30,8) - designed for the Greek Army. I don't know exactly what type of guns they were - in Polish literature, often referred to as Mle 1923 or wz.23 or wz.G but I know only 105mm Mle 1925/27 (M 1927) Schneider (L/30,8) used by Greek Army.

Next two were Schneider L/48 - designed for the Danish Army, and again I don't know exactly what type of guns they were - in Polish literature, often referred to as Mle 1926 or wz.26 or wz.D but I know only 105mm Mle 1930 (M 1930) Schneider (L/48,1) used by Danish Army.

I would ask for a correction in the names of those guns and proper names - does Schneider offer during 1920's a 105mm cannons market as Mle 1923 and Mle 1926 ? Perhaps the guns were only Schneider's prototypes (or limited production for test to potential customers) and later transformed to Mle 1927 and Mle 1930 ?.

When Polish Army was decided to buy “Argentinian” version of 105mm Schneider Mle 1928, knows in Poland as 105mm armata polowa wz.29, the early four long-range guns were stored in armaments depot.


http://www.dws-xip.pl/wojna/bron/polska/p38.html

The two photos below: The 105mm Schneider cannons wz.26 (or wz.D). Polish Navy Museum and picture of the 105mm armata wz.26

[Stan P]

In the Spring of 1931 it was decided to transfer the four “forgotten” cannons to Navy and used them as coastal defence guns on wheels on the Hel Peninsula. The construction of emplacements were completed in 1932 and two batteries of cannons gained to service. First known as the “Greek” Battery (equipped with two “G” cannons L/31) and the second known as the “Danish” Battery (equipped with two “D” cannons L/48). Each of these batteries, designed for firing at the targets at open Baltic Sea and the Bay of Puck. Maximum range of fire of “Greek” Battery was 15.5 to 15,7 km, maximum range of fire of “Danish” Battery was 17,7 to 20,1 km.

Gun emplacement of “Greek” Baterry was built in the form of circle with a diameter of 9.6 m. and external wall height of 0.75 m. The middle of the circle had wooden ring with a steel rim (the Greek guns had a integral drop-artillery platform). Gun emplacement of “Danish” Baterry was built in the form of circle with a diameter of 11,0 m. and external wall height of 0.70 m. with inside a circle of concrete block positioner cannon. Each battery received two ammunition bunkers (accommodate a total of 400 shell and 400 charge), concrete fire control point and two shelters for soldiers. Addition, each gun can be removed from the battery position and moved on integral roads of peninsula (length of about 5 km), built in the same time as battery, towed by artillery tractor.

The two photos below: The remains of gun positions of Coastal Defence Batteries so-called as “Greek” and “Danish”.

[Stan P]

In 2011 the “Danish” Battery has been unearthed, renovated and open to visitors.

See - The website of Muzeum Obrony Wybrzeża (MOW) (Polish Museum of Coastal Defence) in Hel http://helmuzeum.pl/

The three photos below: The gun positions of Coastal Defence Batteries so-called as “Danish”.

[Stan P]

In 1935/1936 the Batteries were given number 11 (“Greek”) and number 12 (“Danish”) - both were included into Coastal Artillery Squadron. On 31 December 1936 the Staff of Navy changed the numbering of the Coastal Batteries. "Greek" Battery was given the number 32, and the "Danish" Battery was given the number 33.

The two photos below: The position of “Greek” Battery and “Danish” Battery at the satellite Google Maps of Hel Peninsula (and some other interesting remains of military objects) and the picture of information board standing on the road to Battery No.33 in Hel Peninsula.

[Stan P]

Three more pictures of the information boards near “Danish” 33rd Battery

[Stan P]

In September 1939 both Batteries were rarely used. The two “Greek” guns on 12 September were moved from position of 32nd Battery and used as traditional field guns near Jurata supported the infantry units. It is not know what happend with them later (probably destroyed or captured by Germans).

The “Danish” Battery opened the fire to German light surface ships but not successed. The two L/48 guns were not destoyed by Luftwaffe or Kriegsmarine and captured at position of the 33rd Battery. Next probably the cannons were taken as “war throphies” and placed on Plac Grunwaldzki (Grunwaldzki Square, Germans changed the name of square to Scharnhorst Platz during occupation of Poland) in Gdynia (Polish town and main harbour before war, Germans changed the name of town to Gotenhafen during WW2). As wieved at some photos of Scharnhorst Platz in Gdynia from 1940 to 1944 the guns were differently positioned at squere.

The three photos below: The L/48 guns on Scharnhorst Platz in Gotenhafen. 1940 – 1944

[Stan P]

...

[Stan P]

At the end of war the “Danish” guns returned to the Polish hands. Short after the war the guns were still on Grunwaldzki Squere.

The three photos below (from collection of Mr. Zbigniew Kurzawa): The “Danish” guns on Grunwaldzki Square 1947 – 1948.

[Stan P]

In 1950's the guns taken to Muzeum Marynarki Wojennej (MMW) (opened in 1953) (Polish Navy Museum in Gdynia) and exhibited on air on museum's courtyard.

The three photos below: The “Danish” guns in Polish Navy Museum in Gdynia. 1953 – 1975 period.

[Stan P]

After Summer 1975 the guns were changed the position and placed on the exhibition area near Bulwar Nadmorski (Boulevard at seafront) street. The guns were positioned like a monument. In this position the cannons standing today.

The three photos below: Courtyard of MMW and guns at „monument” in Polish Navy Museum in Gdynia near Bulwar Nadmorski street.