Canon de 155 C modèle 1915 St. Chamond

The Canon de 155 C modèle 1915 St. Chamond was a French howitzer used during World War I. Used only by France during the war it was superseded in service by the Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider, although they remained in service into the beginning of World War II. Finland bought twenty-four during the Winter War, but they weren't delivered until it was almost over and they saw no action until the Continuation War. The Germans captured the remaining French stocks after the Battle of France and used them on coast defense duties as the 15.5 cm sFH 415 (f).

Description

The Canon de 155 C modèle 1915 St. Chamond was a howitzer of relatively advanced design for its time. It used a hydro-spring recoil system mounted below the barrel and had a small gun shield. The box carriage had wooden wheels so it was unsuitable for towing by truck. It had a semi-automatic vertical sliding block breech that ejected the cartridge case after firing. A loading tray was attached to the carriage on a swinging mount. It fired a 43.5 kilograms (96 lb) high-explosive shell to a range of 10,600 metres (11,600 yd).^[1]

Operational use

The French weapons fought throughout World War I and were still in the inventory at the beginning of World War II. Seized weapons were used by the Germans for their units based in France.^[1]

The twenty-four howitzers bought from France arrived in Finland at the beginning of March 1940 and were issued to Heavy Artillery Battery 8, but the war ended before the unit reached the front. They served with Heavy Artillery Battalions 27 and 29 during the Continuation War.^[2]

Museum exhibits

•  Finland Vuorenmaa of Artjärvi in Orimattila, Finland, free entry, in woods
•  Finland Artillery Museum of Finland in Hämeenlinna, Finland
•  Finland Salpa Line museum

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Gander and Chamberlain, p. 218
2. ^ "ARTILLERY PART 6: Heavy Howitzers (150 mm - 155 mm)". 5 May 2008. http://www.jaegerplatoon.net/ARTILLERY6.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-25. 

References

• Gander, Terry; Chamberlain, Peter (1979). Weapons of the Third Reich: An Encyclopedic Survey of All Small Arms, Artillery and Special Weapons of the German Land Forces 1939-1945. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-15090-3. 
• Hogg, Ian V. (1998). Allied Artillery of World War One. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Crowood Press. ISBN 1-86126-104-7. 

External links

• Finnish service