To learn more about what I took pictures of.
Excerpt
Seven German cannon captured during the First World War were on display in separate locations on the grounds of the Plains of Abraham Battlefield Park. In 2021, these cannon were moved to a single location in front of the Voltigeurs de Québec Armoury. From right to left they include a 15-cm sFH 02, 21-cm Morser 1910, 10-cm K 17 with a blown barrel, 10.5-cm leFH 16, 7.7-cm FK 96, 7.7-cm FK 16, and 10.5-cm FH 98/09.
10.5 cm leichte Feldhaubitze 16
Calibre:
Produced: 1917
Weight: 1,525 kg (3,362 lbs)
Maximum firing range: 9,225 m (30,266 feet)
Field gun captured by the 13th Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), 3rd Infantry Brigade, 1st Division, Canadian Expeditionary Force, on September 2, 1918 in the Bois de Cagnicourt during the Battle of Arras, Pas-de-Calais, France.
Note
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/10.5_cm_leFH_16
Calibre:
7.7 cm Feldkanone 16 (7.7 cm FK 16)
Produced: 1916
Weight: 1,318 kg (2,906 lbs) Maximum firing range: 10,700 m (35,105 feet)
Field gun captured by the 87th Battalion (Canadian Grenadier Guards), 11th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division, Canadian Expeditionary Force, on September 27, 1918 at the western limits of Bourlon during the Battle of the Canal-du-Nord and Cambrai, Pas-de-Calais, France.
Notes
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.7_cm_FK_16
http://www.landships.info/landships/artillery_articles/Feldkanone_16.html
Calibre:
7.7 cm Feldkanone 96 neuer Art (7.7 cm FK 96 n.A.)
Produced: 1904
Weight: 1,020 kg (2,249 lbs) Maximum firing range: 8,400 m (27,560 feet)
Field gun captured by the 87th Battalion (Canadian Grenadier Guards), 11th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division, Canadian Expeditionary Force, on September 27, 1918 southwest of Bourlon during the Battle of the Canal-du-Nord and Cambrai, Pas-de-Calais, France.
Notes
http://www.landships.info/landships/artillery_articles/Feldkanone_C96_nA_1.html
Another artillery piece I knew nothing about…
10 cm Kanone 17 (10 cm K 17)
Calibre:
Produced: 1918
Weight: 3,357 kg (7,401 lbs)
Maximum firing range: 16,500 m (54,134 feet)
Field gun captured by the 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), 7th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Division, Canadian Expeditionary Force, on August 28, 1918 during the Battle of Arras, Pas-de-Calais, France.
The German gunners caused its muzzle to burst apart before it was taken by the 42nd Battalion, thus making it unusable.
Notes
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/10_cm_K_17
https://www.lovettartillery.com/10cm_Kanone_1917.html
Now I know just a little more.
I will always remember my visit to the museum. Little did I know that danger was just a few minutes away from taking pictures.
21 cm Mörser 16
Calibre:
Produced: 1914
Weight: 6,680 kg (14,727 lbs) Maximum firing range: 11,100 m (36,417 feet)
Field gun captured by the 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), 7th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Division, Canadian Expeditionary Force, on August 8, 1918 southwest of Démuin during the Battle of Amiens, Somme, France.
It is locked in retracted position.
Notes
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/21_cm_M%C3%B6rser_16
https://web.archive.org/web/20071022205317/http://landships.freeservers.com/21cm_howitzer.htm
Excerpt
The German 21cm Howitzer m/10 (in the German Army named simpley Der Mörser) was the result of ten years development by the firms of Krupp and Rheinmetall. (Its origin was in a Bronze tube Mortar designed in the 1860-ies, and used with full effect first in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71.) It was a heavy gun, weighing some 15 tons+, and moved only with the Gun tube transported on a separate Wagon.
When the War started in 1914, the German Army could field 216 of these big guns, and they were used from the very first days of combat. When the Germans came upon the strong Belgian fortress of Liege, it was these guns that started the attack on August 5th, by sucessfully shelling the forts in the Eastern perimeter, and eventually paving the way for the REALLY big guns, the 42cm Dicke Berthas. It was then used with effect on all fronts, primarily in the Regiments of the Fuss-Artillerie, as one of the standard weapons of indirect fire and support. (The Foot Artillery Regiments – a Corps asset – were the primary units of the heavy German Artillery, each containing two batallions of four batteries each, were the main equipment was 15cm guns. Howitzer Battallions however, had only two batteries per batallion. The number of guns per battery varied between 3 and 4. In a quiet sector, a Division had some 8-9 batteries of 15cm and 21 cm guns in support, but normally some 16 batteries were employed per division.
Experience from the fighting soon made the Artillery men realize that an increase in range would be most helpful, as the comparatively short range of the Howitzer often forced the units to site their guns well within range of most enemy artillery. A small redesign followed: the gun barrel was lengthened somewhat, from L/12 to L/14.5.
This new variant was called m/16 or Langer Mörser. However, as the gun already was pretty heavy and cumbersome, the redesign had been done from the premiss that the weight should not be increased. That was pretty much adhered to, but with the effect that the increase in range was even less than one kilometer. Another small redesign, following combat experiences, was the fitting of a Shield. (Some m/10 were retrofitted with this, but not all.) When the war came to an end in 1918, the 21 cm Howitzers of the German Army had fired some 7 million shells.
Dug in Howitzer, with full crew present – including the Platoon commander in light coat – while shifting the tail of the gun. The gun layer supervising the whole operation. Most men on the left of the trail are obviously trying to get the second, foldable earth-spade clear of the ground.
More images and descriptions of the link above.
15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze 02 (15 cm sFH 02)
Calibre:
Produced: 1902
Weight: 2,035 kg (4,486 lbs) Maximum firing range: 7,450 m (24,442 feet)
Field gun captured by the 60th Battalion (Victoria Rifles of Canada), 9th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Division, Canadian Expeditionary Force, on April 13, 1917 in the Bois de la Folie after the Battle of Vimy Ridge, Pas-de-Calais, France.
On the gun are the initials R W and the numeral II, which stand for Reich Wilhelm II-in reference to the German emperor Wilhelm II. The motto Ultima Ratio Regis means “The king’s ultimate argument.” This kind of detailed inscription became impossible with the mass production of field guns during the First World War.
Notes
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/15_cm_sFH_02
https://www.lovettartillery.com/15cm_schwere_Feldhaubitze_1902_15cm_s_F_H_02.html
Day 298
Sunday December 18, 2022
I was attracted by the cannon display at first, but I wanted to see the stelea to learn more.
I took pictures to be able to read them more closely later.
You never know when you will be able to visit a war memorial again.
Those stelae are there so you can reflect upon the past and learn the lessons history wants to teach us about the dangers that lay ahead if we don’t pay attention.
MEMORIES OF WAR
In times of war, captured pieces of enemy equipment are customarily treated as trophies and put on display. During the First World War the Canadian Expeditionary Force was no exception. It seized 516 cannons, 304 trench mortars, 3,500 light and heavy machine-guns, and 44 airplanes. As tangible examples of victory, this booty was recorded in official reports and chalk-marked with the identifiers of the battalions that had taken them.
Once this collection arrived on Canadian soil it was scattered across the country for public viewing in buildings or parks. In 1926 the Controller of War Trophies asked the National Battlefields Commission to preserve and display seven artillery guns captured from the German army. The guns were placed at different locations on the Plains of Abraham. They have since been brought together as a testimony to victory and, above all, to the efforts and sacrifices of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
The little guided tour will continue on Monday.
Day 297
Saturday 17 December 2022
I have visited Quebec City often in the past but I had never visited the Plains of Abraham Museum.
I am planning a little guided tour outside before we go inside.
Outside…
Calibre:
10.5 cm Feldhaubitze 98/09 (10.5 cm FH 98/09)
Produced: 1917
Weight: 1,145 kg (2,524 lbs)
Maximum firing range: 6,300 m (20,670 feet)
Field gun captured by the 22nd Battalion (22nd French Canadian Battalion), 5th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Division, Canadian Expeditionary Force, during the Hundred Days Offensive, Pas-de-Calais, France.
I have to admit I am not that knowledgeable about artillery and I have never built any model kits of artillery pieces.
There’s always time to start learning more of the war to end all wars.
About the 10.5 cm Feldhaubitze 98/09 from Wikipedia…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/10.5_cm_Feldhaubitze_98/09
Footnote
I donated 10 dollars to Wikipedia.
Model kits
Only one I found.
My Forgotten Hobby VI 