Identification of a German C/73 field gun in Africa

[Tanzania]

Identification of a German C/73 field gun in Africa


It is about the identification of a C/73 field gun in Zambia, which was erected on the Chambeshi-River
as a memorial for the place, where the German Schutztruppe received news that the GW was finished.

GW in Africa – Memorial in Chambeshi, Zambia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chambeshi_Monument
Perhaps you can help me to answer the question of whether this gun was used by the Schutztruppe in
East Africa during the 1914-1918 war. (Of course the steel-wheels are not original.)

The following background is knowing:
“From Hanover is also written about the dispatch of field guns to East Africa, stating that the 10th Field
Artillery Regiment delivered twelve 7.85 centimetre guns and loaded the associated ammunition to
Wilhelmshaven for use in East Africa. These guns are intended to arm fortified bases which are to be
built on the main coastal locations of the German Colony in East Africa. There they will be served by
teams of the "colonial troops" which Captain Wissmann recruits. The concerned Detachment received
new manufacture from the artillery depot in Hanover as a replacement for the guns that were handed in.”
Source: Freiburger Zeitung, 18.01.1889 (Tagesausgabe), 2. Seite http://www.freiburg-postkolonial.de/Sei ... -01-18.htm

Furthermore:
“Major a.D. Willibald von Stuemer wrote: The armament of the `Wissmann Troops´ included an artillery
park of six 4.7 cm rapid fire guns, one 6 cm mountain gun and twelve field guns C / 73, to which His
Majesty the Emperor still add another battery of heavy field guns (see. 9- cm cannons) as a gift.
This battery was assigned to the department stationed in Daressalaam. "
Source: Das Ehrenbuch der Deutschen Schweren Artillerie, II. Band, Abschnitt VI, Die schwere
Artillerie an fernen Fronten, Franz Nikolaus Kaiser, Vaterländischer Verlag C.A. Weller, Berlin 1943

Summarized:
On May 3rd, 1889, a total of 16 Krupp field guns C 1873 Krupp belonged to the `Wissmann Troop´; - the
later `Schutztruppe´ for GEA. These were two different types of the C/1873 Krupp Field-Gun, 12 pieces
of light 7.85-cm (8cm) L/20 C/73 for the Mounted-Artillery of the Cavalry-Divisions and 4 pieces of the
heavy 8.8-cm (9cm) L/22.6 C/73 for the Foot-Artillery of the Infantry-Divisions in the Imperial German Army.
On August 4, 1914, four guns were lost in the port of Daressalaam in a false alarm. During the war, only
a total of 12 guns were used by the `Schutztruppe´.

01_German C-73 Field-Gun in Chambeshi.jpg

02_Coat of arms on C-73 Chambeshi-Gun.jpg

Source: Own photos 2004 at Chambeshi / Zambia

As far as I understand, the different states within the German Imperial Empire had different coats of arms.
Ralph Lovett showed other types of coat of arms on the top of the barrels. (scroll down)
https://www.lovettartillery.com/9cm._C_1873_Kanone.html

Does someone identify the above shown coat of arms?
Does Hannover belong to the state of this badge?

Cheers Holger

[kluz]

It is Bavarian coat of arms and motto "In treue fest" highly likely

[Tanzania]

Hello Igor,
Thanks for your explanation about the coat of arms on the C / 73 gun.
This means that Bavaria had its own coat of arms stamped on its own field guns.

I have a few more questions:
1) Were the coats of arms of the Kingdom of Saxony, Prussia and Baden stamped on their guns, too?
2) Is there a list of these gun coats of arms within the German Empire?
3) Were these gun coats of arms all manufactured by Krupp in Essen?

Ralph Lovett showed other types of coat of arms on the top of the C/73 barrels. (scroll down)
https://www.lovettartillery.com/9cm._C_1873_Kanone.html

Cheers Holger

[danebrog]

From "Northern Rhodesia Journal" via "bushfighter"/GWF

chambeshi.jpg

"In Treue fest" was the motto of the Kingdom of Bavaria (1805-1918) and its ruling house Wittelsbach.

[danebrog]

If I may speculate, there is a possibility that the gun may have belonged to the 5th or 10th Bavarian Field Artillery Brigade
at Delville Wood. South Africans and Rhodesians had paid a terrible price in blood there.
In this respect, there is the possibility that it found its way to Africa as booty and a memento of this battle.
The wheels, however, were probably added later and come from a locomobile.

[Tanzania]

Hi Oliver,

I also had to see at first where Delville Wood is; - so not in East Africa.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Delville_Wood

At the moment I am trying to search which gun-coats of arms existed at all on the C/73 guns.

German C73 at Chambezi.jpg

Cheers Holger