| 340mm/45 Modèle 1912 gun | |
|---|---|
Main guns of the Provence |
|
| Type | naval gun |
| Place of origin | France |
| Service history | |
| Used by | France |
| Wars | First World War, Second World War |
| Specifications | |
| Shell | separate charges and shell |
| Calibre | 340 mm |
The 340mm/45 Modèle 1912 gun (13.4") was a heavy naval gun of the French Navy.
While the calibres of the naval guns of the French Navy were usually very close to those of their British counterparts[1], the calibre of 340 mm is specific to the French Navy.
The built-up gun was designed to be carried by the Normandie and Lyon classes in quadruple gun turrets, but no ship of these types was completed as a battleship. They were carried by the Bretagne class battleships in twin turrets.
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During Operation Dragoon, the Free French battleship Lorraine was one of the units engaged with 'Big Willie', an enemy battery controlling the approaches to Toulon. 'Big Willie' was armed with two turrets taken from the French battleship Provence, making this an unusual instance of both sides of an engagement using the 340mm/45 Modèle 1912 gun.