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Remembered Today:

hit by 5.9.?


kevinL

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While searching for any information about my greatgrandfather i came accross a few entries of 'direct hit from 5.9.' on his Artillery Brigade...on the 7th Dec 1916 there is an entry which matches the date of his death from the CWGC..it relates to his unit B.Bty and it says:-

7th Dec....... Direct hit by 5.9. on No5 gun B/60 1 killed 5 wounded

The 1 killed must have been my great grandfather which, finally for me, puts to rest once and for all as to the cause of his death. My only question i have now is what were the 5.9.'s that the diary refers to as incomming hits? i assume it is some callibre of German gun or ammunition perhaps?

regards, Kevin.

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Kevin,

The 5.9-inch gun was the German 150mm (15cm) artillery piece, one of many of this calibre and very effective and deadly on the battlefield.

Marty

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thankyou Marty,

yes they do appear to be deadly...

beginning of December they move to a new position N.E of Hamel with the Brigade Headquarters set up at Mesnil. Then from the 7th-10th Dec all hell appears to break loose with the Germans scoring direct hits on No.5 gun B.Bty..No.1 gun C.Bty..No.3 gun C.Bty..No.4 gun C.Bty and H.Q. Horse lines in Mesnil shelled too...all this damage apparently from 5.9's.

regards, kevin.

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