Discussions on the fortifications, artillery, & rockets used by the Axis forces.
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Clive Mortimore
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by Clive Mortimore » 14 Jun 2011 21:39
Manuferey wrote:Here is a picture (ebay.com) of a 15.5 cm sFH414(f) with soldiers that look like Afrika Korps. The landscape matches a North African desert as well.
Emmanuel
Hi Emmanuel
The wheels are for a horse drawn gun. The Afrika Corps did not have any horse drawn artillery, so I do not think it is one they have shipped out from France. It could be an Italian gun with a makeshift German crew or even a French gun acquired from the French forces in Tunisia.
Not only did the Axis forces use the 155mm Howitzer in the desert war but also the 8th Army. Some of the first guns to be sent under the Lend Lease were US version, the 155mm Howitzer M1917 and M1918. I believe they equipped an Australian medium regiment.
Clive
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David W
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by David W » 14 Jun 2011 22:09
The Italians didn't use them in North Africa, but I understand that the Commonwealth had over a 100. I have been able to place only a handful of these however.
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Manuferey
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by Manuferey » 14 Jun 2011 23:32
Here is a picture of a 155 mm C M1918 (I think and not M1917 since the shield appears straight) used in Tunisia in March 1943 (press photo). Are the soldiers US or French with US uniforms?
I would assume that the M1917 and M1918 shipped via Lend-Lease to Commonwealth forces were equipped with pneumatic tires.
So, for the gun of my earlier picture, Clive's assumption of a capture from the French Army makes sense.
Emmanuel
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Urmel
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by Urmel » 15 Jun 2011 06:00
Clive Mortimore wrote:Manuferey wrote:Here is a picture (ebay.com) of a 15.5 cm sFH414(f) with soldiers that look like Afrika Korps. The landscape matches a North African desert as well.
Emmanuel
Hi Emmanuel
The wheels are for a horse drawn gun. The Afrika Corps did not have any horse drawn artillery, so I do not think it is one they have shipped out from France. It could be an Italian gun with a makeshift German crew or even a French gun acquired from the French forces in Tunisia.
Not only did the Axis forces use the 155mm Howitzer in the desert war but also the 8th Army. Some of the first guns to be sent under the Lend Lease were US version, the 155mm Howitzer M1917 and M1918. I believe they equipped an Australian medium regiment.
It's a French gun bought in Tunisia in 1941. They eventually probably acquired the little road-wheel contraptions you can see under the Spanish guns in the pictures on the other side (they requested them in early 42). Until then they probably were not drawn but delivered loaded on the back of a truck, I guess.
http://crusaderproject.wordpress.com/20 ... used-them/
http://crusaderproject.wordpress.com/20 ... revisited/
The enemy had superiority in numbers, his tanks were more heavily armoured, they had larger calibre guns with nearly twice the effective range of ours, and their telescopes were superior. 5 RTR 19/11/41
The CRUSADER Project - The Winter Battle 1941/42
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Urmel
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by Urmel » 15 Jun 2011 09:32
David W wrote:The Italians didn't use them in North Africa, but I understand that the Commonwealth had over a 100. I have been able to place only a handful of these however.
David
Where and when did you manage to place them?
The enemy had superiority in numbers, his tanks were more heavily armoured, they had larger calibre guns with nearly twice the effective range of ours, and their telescopes were superior. 5 RTR 19/11/41
The CRUSADER Project - The Winter Battle 1941/42
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Urmel
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by Urmel » 15 Jun 2011 09:33
Manuferey wrote:Here is a picture of a 155 mm C M1918 (I think and not M1917 since the shield appears straight) used in Tunisia in March 1943 (press photo). Are the soldiers US or French with US uniforms?
I would assume that the M1917 and M1918 shipped via Lend-Lease to Commonwealth forces were equipped with pneumatic tires.
So, for the gun of my earlier picture, Clive's assumption of a capture from the French Army makes sense.
Emmanuel
They would almost certainly be US soldiers. Re-equipping the French with US kit did not start until after Tunisia as far as I know (it was an issue between the British and the Americans, I believe), so the ex-Vichy forces would have had standard French kit, and the Free French would have had British kit.
The enemy had superiority in numbers, his tanks were more heavily armoured, they had larger calibre guns with nearly twice the effective range of ours, and their telescopes were superior. 5 RTR 19/11/41
The CRUSADER Project - The Winter Battle 1941/42
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Urmel
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by Urmel » 15 Jun 2011 13:39
Difficult to tell, but is this a sFH 414(f)?
http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/024727
The enemy had superiority in numbers, his tanks were more heavily armoured, they had larger calibre guns with nearly twice the effective range of ours, and their telescopes were superior. 5 RTR 19/11/41
The CRUSADER Project - The Winter Battle 1941/42
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Clive Mortimore
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by Clive Mortimore » 15 Jun 2011 14:25
It is a 4.7 cm Pak 177(i) with its barrel withdrawn, the odd thing between the trail legs. A number were used by the Aussies and Poles as post guns around Torbruk.
Clive
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Urmel
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by Urmel » 15 Jun 2011 15:40
Many thanks!
The enemy had superiority in numbers, his tanks were more heavily armoured, they had larger calibre guns with nearly twice the effective range of ours, and their telescopes were superior. 5 RTR 19/11/41
The CRUSADER Project - The Winter Battle 1941/42
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JKernwerk
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by JKernwerk » 15 Jun 2011 17:37
Maybe a fake, to attract fire.
The spades of the legs are much to big.
JK
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David W
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by David W » 16 Jun 2011 00:12
David
Where and when did you manage to place them?
Thus far...
67th Medium Regiment R.A had 8 in June 1942 I think.
68th Medium Regiment R.A had 8 at about the same time.
They might have had them for a long time before then, I don't know.
Is all I have been able to find.
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Urmel
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by Urmel » 16 Jun 2011 09:34
Add 16 in 64 Medium Regiment R.A. in February 42, and 16 in 2/13 Medium regiment R.A.A, and you have accounted for half of them.
The enemy had superiority in numbers, his tanks were more heavily armoured, they had larger calibre guns with nearly twice the effective range of ours, and their telescopes were superior. 5 RTR 19/11/41
The CRUSADER Project - The Winter Battle 1941/42
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David W
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by David W » 16 Jun 2011 10:34
Were 64th Medium Regiment in theatre @ feb 1942? I thought that they did not return until mid-June, but I am probably wrong.
16 in 2/13 Medium regiment R.A.A, and you have accounted for half of them.
TELL ME MORE! I HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS UNIT WAS EVER IN NORTH AFRICA!

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Urmel
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by Urmel » 16 Jun 2011 12:38
David W wrote:David
Where and when did you manage to place them?
Thus far...
67th Medium Regiment R.A had 8 in June 1942 I think.
68th Medium Regiment R.A had 8 at about the same time.
They might have had them for a long time before then, I don't know.
Is all I have been able to find.
By the way, that would make sense then, with the other battery presumably having 4.5" guns, and the 155mm replacing 6" howitzers?
The enemy had superiority in numbers, his tanks were more heavily armoured, they had larger calibre guns with nearly twice the effective range of ours, and their telescopes were superior. 5 RTR 19/11/41
The CRUSADER Project - The Winter Battle 1941/42