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SURVIVING GUN FILE (# 1245)
Version française

France

Mortier de 75 mm T Mle 1915 Schneider Type 1

Trench artillery

Contributor :
gege83     
Bernard Plumier      http://www.passioncompassion1418.com
     
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Location :
France
Draguignan (83)
Musée de l'Artillerie
Coordinates : Lat : 43.52890 / Long : 6.49640
General comments on this surviving gun :


Identical items in the same location : 2
Items covered by this file : 1

Mounted on its transport wheels

Shooting table

Barrel : 'Nr 848 - Le Havre'; Carriage 'Nr 830 - Le Havre'


Historic and technical information
Denomination :     75 T Mle 1915 Schneider Origin :       ( Schneider)          

Historic context :

Major actor of the French private artillery industry at the beginning of the XXth century, the Schneider Works in le creusot were imposing themselves since the start of the WW1 as the renovators of the French artillery, particularly for the heavy weapons. they could not stay away from the trench artillery question

Thus, the Schneider engineers designed in the first half of 1915 a small 75 mm trench mortar. Closer to a small gun, this weapon was breech-loaded (sliding wedge breech) and the barrel was rifled. It was quickly set up in position on a metallic platform and its fire rate scored a nice 4 rounds per minute. It could fire on flat trajectories as well as bell shaped trajectories, and conçurent ainsi dès le premier semestre de 1915 un petit mortier de tranchées de 75 mm. Plus proche d'un petit canon, cette arme se chargeait par la culasse à coin et son canon était rayé. Elle était rapidement mise en batterie sur une plateforme en bois et sa cadence de tir atteignait les 4 coups par minute. Elle était capable de tirer en tir tendu tout autant qu'en tir plongeant.

But the most remarkable fact concerning this mortar design was its deliberate dedication to the low pressure firing of the huge stock of 75 mm Mle 1897 defective shells, produced hastilly since the autumn 1914 by variable quality small private mechanical and metallurgy shops, and cause of numerous and deadly accidents in the field artillery due to too permissive reception tolerances. the propulsive charge was placed in a shortened 75 mm cartridge.

The mortar was adopted as a reglementary weapon in the French army after the September 1915 offensives under the name ' mortier de 75 T Mle 1915' or 'Mortier de 75 T A Schneider'.('T' for 'Tranchées', 'A' for Type A'). Used on the front line since October 1915, they were particurarly active during the battle of Verdun in 1916 where they tried to reply to the numerous german 76 mm light MinenWerfers. The Belgian army also adopted the Schneider 75 TA mortars.

The relatively heavy weight of the 75 Mle 1915 mortar, compared to the very small explosive power of its 5.315 kg projectile was a sufficient reason for preferring the other new and better performing weapons arriving soon on the front and remove it from the dotations.

Technical data :

  • Complete description : 75 mm Trench mortar M 1915 Schneider type A
  • Design year : 1915
  • Calibre : 75.00 mm
  • Weight in firing position : 215 kg including 100 kg for the platform
  • Weight for transportation : 355 kg on wheeled car with arms
  • Tube length in calibres : 5.00
  • Grooves : 12 Constant angle 6 degrees 30 minutes
  • Projectile weight : 5.315 kg
  • Initial speed : 130 m/s
  • Fire rate : 4 rounds / minute
  • Range : 1700 m
  • Elevation range : +9 to +65 degrees
  • Direction range : 40 degrees total range


Sources
  • Les Crapouillots 1914-1918           Pierre Waline                   Charles Lavauzelle   1965  
  • Les canons de la Victoire 1914-1918 - Tome III - L' Artillerie de Côte et l'Artillerie de Tranchée       Général Guy François                   Histoire et Collection   2010  
  • L'Artillerie de Tranchée Belge et les Batteries d'Accompagnement 1915-1940       Colonel Roger Lothaire                   Editions du Patrimoine Militaire   2015  
  • Cours d'Artillerie de Tranchée       Capitaine Bouchon                   Bourges   1918  
  • Les engins de tranchée de faible puissance 1ère partie, les engins à tir courbe - Guerre, Blindés et Matériel Nr 121       Général Guy François                   Histoire et Collection   2017