KONDOA Posted 2 February , 2020 Share Posted 2 February , 2020 https://www-devonlive-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/devastating-ww1-siege-gun-remains-3793454.amp?amp_js_v=a2&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCKAE%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From %1%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.devonlive.com%2Fnews%2Fdevon-news%2Fdevastating-ww1-siege-gun-remains-3793454 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripeyman Posted 2 February , 2020 Share Posted 2 February , 2020 A Great War 25 pdr……….I don't think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 3 February , 2020 Share Posted 3 February , 2020 Link - doesn't link! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Strawbridge Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 On 02/02/2020 at 23:44, stripeyman said: A Great War 25 pdr……….I don't think so. It would be helpful if you could explain why for a novice like me. I am aware of the Paris gun which was able to fire a 234 lb shell over 81 miles. It took 182 seconds to reach it's target and allowance to the trajectory had to be made due to the movement of the earth during this period. The Wikipedia entry makes interesting reading. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Gun So was a 25 pounder just an unusual and unlikely size or some other reason for the comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Hall Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 14 hours ago, David Filsell said: Link - doesn't link! It did originally, and I think stripymans comment related to the size of the casing. It looked rather small for such a massive piece. As for being a 25 pdr case, I don't think so. it was clearly marked, "Polite , Magdeburg " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 I also saw the image before the link 'failed' and it did indeed show a cartridge case marked 'Polte Magdeburg' (not 'Polite'). Most definitely not a 25 pdr case. I am intrigued to know why Kondoa, a long-time member with a specialist interest in artillery, posted the link to this improbable story without comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Hall Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 Polte Magdeburg. Apologies SG, a typo. Eyesight failing. Hearing shot, Fingers getting fatter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Hall Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 Well, It just may be from the Paris Kanone! I’d assumed that the shell fired by this beast would be huge, along with its cartridge. About the size of a Volkswagen Up! However, Although the original tube was a 35 cm gun (From the proposed “Mackensen “ class battlecruiser “Ersatz Freya” It was lined down to 21cms. So just over 8 inches in real money. Info from www.landships.info/artillery_articles/Paris_Kanone.html Here there is a photograph of a shell case here next to a German Officer . The brass cartridge itself, looks to be the usual size for a QF 8 inch Gun. However it does have at least 9 feet of bagged cordite sticking out of it! The landships article is quite interesting, (from a gunner point of view) The barrel was only rifled along half its length. The rest was smooth bore. The lengths the designers took to ensure that the barrel was gas tight are remarkable. Overall, I’m struck by the German tendency to wander into fantasy technology, rather than just build 300 more 28cms Haubitze L/14’s for example, they build something that wears out after 15 rounds!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 7 hours ago, Jim Strawbridge said: It would be helpful if you could explain why for a novice like me. I am aware of the Paris gun which was able to fire a 234 lb shell over 81 miles. It took 182 seconds to reach it's target and allowance to the trajectory had to be made due to the movement of the earth during this period. The Wikipedia entry makes interesting reading. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Gun So was a 25 pounder just an unusual and unlikely size or some other reason for the comment. I think that the designation "x pounder" was restricted to British (and possibly American) use. There were no 25-pounders in British service in the Great War: they were a WW2 development from the 18-pounders. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripeyman Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 13 hours ago, Jim Strawbridge said: It would be helpful if you could explain why for a novice like me. I am aware of the Paris gun which was able to fire a 234 lb shell over 81 miles. It took 182 seconds to reach it's target and allowance to the trajectory had to be made due to the movement of the earth during this period. The Wikipedia entry makes interesting reading. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Gun So was a 25 pounder just an unusual and unlikely size or some other reason for the comment. The Devon newspaper in the link had a report of a 25pdr found in a wall which was subsequently blown up/destroyed. The bomb disposal chaps described it as being from the Great War, which is clearly wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianjonesncl Posted 5 February , 2020 Share Posted 5 February , 2020 22 hours ago, Gunner Hall said: Overall, I’m struck by the German tendency to wander into fantasy technology, One wonders if it was a psychological effect they were trying to achieve. Artillery rounds landing in Paris would certainly not be welcome by a war weary populace who had just seen the Allied armies pushed back. This in turn could reduce their will to continue the fight and pressure the government for an end to the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Hall Posted 5 February , 2020 Share Posted 5 February , 2020 45 minutes ago, ianjonesncl said: One wonders if it was a psychological effect they were trying to achieve. Artillery rounds landing in Paris would certainly not be welcome by a war weary populace who had just seen the Allied armies pushed back. This in turn could reduce their will to continue the fight and pressure the government for an end to the war. Indeed, but the same effects could have been induced by a Zep or a Gotha. . (Or even by sailing a few battlecruisers along the coast, Hartlepool anyone? ) The efforts involved to construct these monstrous things, do not make economic, tactical or strategic sense. It seems to me that this, was merely a vanity project. "My gun is much bigger than yours."... i may be predjudiced, as I'm currently struggling with the pneumatic system of my cars central locking. Over engineered and over complicated. D+mn you Daimler Benz! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 5 February , 2020 Share Posted 5 February , 2020 57 minutes ago, Gunner Hall said: The efforts involved to construct these monstrous things, do not make economic,.. sense They might to the manufacturer ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 5 February , 2020 Author Share Posted 5 February , 2020 I'm sorry I didn't comment but thought the story stood up on its own. I dnt have much knowledge on this particular subject but though it would be lost if not posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Hall Posted 5 February , 2020 Share Posted 5 February , 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, charlie962 said: They might to the manufacturer ? Ah, Thank you, I understand! And thank you, Kondoa, for bringing it to note. i expect that the story will reach newspapers in County Durham - eventually. Edited 5 February , 2020 by Gunner Hall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 5 February , 2020 Share Posted 5 February , 2020 It looks as though the story was expunged from the Devon Live website very early on. Presumably they realised it was factually incorrect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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