Artillery Ordnance

[OyiboJohn]

In 'The Story of the 2/4th. Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry' there are quite a few references to the enemy 'sending salvoes' of 5.9's or 4.2's (one of which ended the war for a great uncle in France). Can anyone advise as to what type of guns these were fired from. I do not think they were mortars as they seem to relate to longer distance shelling.

[Khaki]

As German field pieces caliber was measured in cm/mm's, the reference would have been used as a comparison to the shell explosions (perhaps) that the author was familiar with, what they were exactly I don't know but I am sure that our 'gunner' members will have an answer for you.

khaki

[SiegeGunner]

4.2 and 5.9 were approximations, in inches, to enemy field guns whose calibres (if correctly identified) were 10.5cm/105mm and 15cm/150mm.

[MikB]

Five-nines were German 15cm rounds (= approx. 5.9"), and 4.2s were 10,5cm (usually called 4.1s in a Naval contest, but strictly 4.1339").

There were a variety of guns in both calibres - Feldhaubitzen (field howitzers), infanteriegeschuetze (infantry cannon) etc., and I believe occasionally Naval guns (long-barrelled, high velocity, long range) for counterbattery work. There may have been mortars, but amongst British troops the terminology would usually have referred to field and heavier artillery.

Regards,

MikB

[Stoppage Drill]

Wasn't the 5.9 nicknamed "Jack Johnson" or "Coalbox" because of the black smoke generated by the shell exploding ?

[nigelfe]

15cm How was the equivalent of a 6-in How (15.2 cm or 60 lines if you were a Russian)), 10.5cm How equivalent of 4.5 in How (11.4 cm)

[OyiboJohn]

Thanks Guys. Guess it had be something about calibres but couldn't equate to mm's quoted in German Artillery pieces. Not as heavy as 'Big Berthas' @ 419mm!