| Historical Specifics: |
The howitzer was captured at Villiers Brettonneux on 8 August 1918 by the 45th Battalion. The day after its capture it was used against the retreating German forces by the 110th Howitzer Battery, 10th Australian Field Artillery Brigade. At the time of the survey it was undergoing complete restoration including the construction of new wheels. The photo above was provided by the Goulburn War Memorial Museum and taken in 2001.
The 150 mm Heavy Howitzer was one of the most important pieces in the arsenal of the German Artillery. When war commenced in 1914 the majority were the old type sFH 02 models. In 1913, a new model sFH 13 was introduced. This new gun fired 8,500 metres, some 1000 metres longer than the old model 02.
The gun suffered from recoil problems and a number of misfires. A new variant with a longer barrel of L17 (17 x the calibre) was produced. At the end of the war Krupp and Rheinmetall had delivered 3.409 sFH13. |
