| |
|
|
|
|
ARTILLERY REGISTER |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Type of Gun: |
150 mm Field Gun i.R L/40 |
| Location: |
National Artillery Museum, North Fort, Manly, NSW |
| GPS Location: |
|
| Serial Number: |
5445 |
| Date of Manufacture: |
1900 |
| Manufacturer: |
Krupp |
| Calibre: |
150 mm |
| Weight of Projectile: |
44.2 kg |
| Range: |
18,700 metres |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Historical Specifics: |
The 150mm Feldkanone i.R (i.R = ‘in Raderlafette’ –‘on wheeled carriage’) is a naval gun placed on an improvised field carriage. It is one of only a couple known to exist in the world. It was captured on 8 August 1918 at Caroline Wood south of Morcourt in France by the 45th Battalion, 4th Division 1st AIF and ceded to Woollahra Council in 1921. For reasons now unknown it was moved to the School of Artillery, then located at South Head, in 1930 then in 1957 it was returned to the Council and placed at Rose Bay. By 1994 the condition of the gun had deteriorated and the Council offered it to the National Artillery Museum. With the assistance of Transfield Holdings and Croda paints, the gun was stabilised and partly restored. Mr Wolfgang Stiller was instrumental in having this work done and Laurie Read has since painted the gun in the camouflage pattern. Both are volunteers at the Museum.
Soon after the stalemate commenced on the Western Front both sides realised there was a need to bolster their heavier calibre guns. Surplus naval, coastal defence and fortification guns were taken from forts and naval stores and placed on improvised field carriages. This is one of those guns. The result was a powerful long range gun but it was very heavy and had to be broken down into three loads for movement.
Being an improvised gun it had a number of limitations. Apart from its weight, the carriage did not allow for traverse and the naval recoil system could not absorb all the recoil. To overcome the problems a special ground platform was used. The gun was anchored to it to absorb the recoil and allow the gun to be bodily traversed. |
| |
|
|
|
|
| General Information on Gun Type: |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Additional Photos: |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
