German Artilery (1914-1918) on display in the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, Ontario

The Canadian War Museum, Captured German Equipment (1914-1918)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3403104)

German First World War 7.92-mm Maxim Spandau MG 08 Machinegun being assembled by German Prisoners, Camblain-l'Abbé, France, May 1917.

 (Author Photos)

German First World War 7.92-mm Maxim Spandau MG 08 Machinegun (Serial Nr. 4943), 1917, mounted on a Schlitten stand.

(Author Photos)

German First World War 7.92-mm Maxim Spandau MG 08 Machinegun (Serial Nr. 2685), unmounted, part of a battlefield diorama.

German minenwerfer (trench mortars) were considered infantry weapons and were issued to infantry regiments and battalions in the First World War. They could be broken down into easily carried loads. The minenwerfer sat on a platform (or base plate) and could be emplaced in a narrow trench. They were fired at a high trajectory, and their shell dropped almost perpendicularly, so fire could be delivered close to friendly troops. However, their short range forced the minenwerfer to be placed close to the front lines. The ammunition supply then became a problem because the carriers could be interdicted by enemy fire – especially from machineguns. Germany produced a number of minenwerfer in calibers ranging from 76-mm to 240-mm. The CWM has several minenwerfer in the collection.

(Author Photos)

German First World War 7.58-cm leichtes Minenwerfer neuer Art (7.58-cm leMW), (Serial Nr. 18328), AEG M1916, mounted on an iron carriage.  12 Can MG Coy on the box trail. The 7.58-cm leMW held by the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa is painted a dark olive green.  Unlike modern mortars, the German minenwerfer in the First World War had a recoil-absorbing mechanism. They were muzzle loaded, and the propellant charge was contained in the base of the projectile, with the gas expanding through the bottom of the shell. The short barrel and the resistance imposed by the rifling did not allow loading the projectile to generate enough force to ignite the propellant so a simple firing mechanism was fitted. The trigger had to be cocked and fired by hand after loading. On its original platform mounting, the M1916 New model Light Minenwerfer could not fire at an angle of elevation of less than 34 degrees. Early in 1917, the Germans modified the carriage to allow flat-trajectory fire. This was an attempt to replace the heavier (and more expensive) field guns that were needed to fight tanks in the front trenches. Because of the need to move the trail, traversing the weapon was more complicated than on its original base plate. The CWM has two M1916 minenwerfers. The flat-trajectory carriages are of different construction, but are of similar design and function. CWM 19390001-650 and CWM 19930039-001.

Other 7.58-cm leMWs across Canada, like the one with the RCA Museum at CFB Shilo, Manitoba, are painted in a field gray colour.  One in the Charlottetown Armoury is painted in a combination of grey and black. (NB – German practice was to use cm instead of mm to identify the calibre of guns).

The official paint schemes for German First World War artillery can be complicated:   In 1914, the standard scheme used on all German Guns was Feldgrau Overall.  The exact shade of this Feldgrau - literally: “Field Grey” - was investigated in the 1990-ies when a replica A7V was built in Germany: a large number of surviving First World War equipment was examined for traces of colours, and it was found out that what is called "Feldgrau" was in reality a pretty wide spectrum of colours, ranging from Green to Grey.  This means that it is hard to go really wrong on "Feldgrau".  If one is to recommend one colour, however, to use for Feldgrau it is the Humbrol #31 Slate Grey.   Guns painted in Feldgrau could be seen all through the war.

In 1915-16 the first real camouflage schemes started to appear.  The plain Feldgrau colour was supplemented by other colours – the Feldgrau was not over-painted per se. What colours to use and in what patterns, was left to the units themselves. This in turn often depended on what front the equipment was employed.  A gun used in Champagne, were the earth was very bright, almost white, was camouflaged with a much lighter colour, than a gun used, say, at the Somme, were the ground was more yellow in hue. Anyway: the Feldgrau base were given blotches or bands, or patches AND bands, of Green, Brown, Yellow, even Blue and/or White.  There were wide variations.

In 1917 the Army started to regulate the camouflage schemes used on the Guns.  After tests (using observers in planes) some colours used earlier were ruled out as ineffective: namely White, Bright Yellow ("hellgelbe") and Bright Blue ("hellblau").  The colours that was to be used henceforth, in this so called Buntenfarben Anstrich was Sand, Green and Brown (two hues have been observed: Mid-Brown and Brick-Red), painted in irregular blotches and separated by thin Black lines.  This was basically the standard scheme up until the end of the war.

(Author Photos)

German First World War 7.58-cm leichtes Minenwerfer neuer Art (7.58-cm leMW), (Serial Nr. 5160), AEG M1916, rifled, stamped 2108625, jk, 2660, 5169, mounted on wooden carriage wheels.  Captured by the 20th Battalion at the Cité St. Emile, North of Lens, France, on 15 August 1917.  This leMW n.A. is marked “captured and claimed by the 3rd Can TM” on the rotator/base plate (most likely the 3rd Canadian Trench Mortar Battery).

German First World War 5-cm leichtes Granatwerfer 36 (5-cm lGrW 36) (Serial Nr. unknown).

German First World War 5-cm leichtes Granatwerfer 36 (5-cm lGrW 36) (Serial Nr. unknown).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3397826)

German First World War 9.15-cm leichtes Minenwerfer System Lanz, captured at Vimy Ridge by the Canadians, being examined by Prince Arthur of Connaught May, 1917.

(Author Photos)

German First World War 9.15-cm leichtes Minenwerfer System Lanz, (Serial Nr. 4785JP).  Captured by the 18th Battalion at Vimy on 9 April 1917. The Lanz Minenwerfer was a crude pattern of trench mortar that quickly became obsolete. Its main advantages were simple construction, and light weight. The entire weapon platform had to be lifted and turned in order to traverse the mortar. CWM 19940001-018.

The 9.15 cm leichtes Minenwerfer System Lanz (Trench mortar) was a light mortar used by Germany and Austria-Hungary in the First World War.  It was a smoothbore, breech-loading design that used smokeless propellant.  It was chosen by the Austrians as an interim replacement for their 9 cm Minenwerfer M 14, pending development of a superior domestic design, which eventually turned out to be the 9 cm Minenwerfer M 17.  The older Austrian design had a prominent firing signature, a less effective bomb and shorter range than the Lanz.  Over 500 were ordered with deliveries beginning in April 1917.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3797870)

German First World War 24-cm Flügelminenwerfer ‘Iko’, Albrecht, captured by Canadians. September, 1917.  

(Author Photos)

German First World War 24-cm Flügelminenwerfer ‘Iko’, Albrecht, (Serial Nr. unknown), no markings. The Albrecht mortar is unusual in that the main structure is wood, with a thin metal liner inside the barrel and reinforcing metal wires and bands wrapped around the barrel. The mortar can be traversed about 30 degrees right and left by sliding the front support on a rail. Elevation changes are accomplished using a hand wheel on a threaded rod. Once laid, the mortar would be locked in position by tightening nuts on the frame. Accuracy was probably very low and the range was limited from 50 to 550 m (54 to 600yd). CWM 19390002-138. (Doug Knight)

(Author Photos)

German First World War 7.7-cm Feldkanone 96 neuer Art (7.7-cm FK 96 n.A.), (Serial Nr. 204). Captured by the 72nd Battalion on 9 Oct 1917 near Vimy on the Sunken Road 250 yards SW of Givenchy, France.  This gun has a blown barrel.

German First World War Beobachtungswagen fűr feldartillerie (observation wagon), reference David Nash, GermanArtillery 1914-1918, London, Altmark Publishing Company, 1970, page 22. The wagon carried a tripod structure, on which was mounted a stand with an armoured shield for an observer. The stand could be mounted on the ground, or on the wagon itself, in several different heights depending on the situation. Field telephone equipment was carried in the wagon and telephone line could be paid out from the rear of the wagon. The reference has several good photographs. Each battery of German field artillery had one observation wagon. Six horses towed the wagon.CWM 19390002-102

(Author Photo)

German First World War 7.7-cm Feldkanone 96 neuer Art (7.7-cm FK 96 n.A.), (Serial Nr. 13224), 1918, Krupp Ehrhardt, converted to QF 77-mm.  Captured by the 3rd Battalion near the Arras-Cambrai Road, North of Bourlon Wood, France, on 27 September 1918.  This gun is mounted on a British Naval/Coast Defence Mounting. The 77-mm Feldkanone 96 n/A was introduced into German service in 1896, modified in 1905 and 1906 and was the main gun in the German Field Artillery until replaced in 1916. The CWM artefact’s gun barrel was manufactured in 1906, and was probably the 635th gun made in that year. The crest on the barrel is German. The CWM artefact was either captured by the British or supplied to them as apart of the reparations after the First World War. It was taken into service as the QF 77 mm Mk I gun, and was been mounted on a pedestal for naval or coast defence use. Markings on the gun indicate that it was taken into service in 1918. CWM.

German First World War Beobachtungwagen für feldartillerie, Artillery Observation Wagen.

(Author Photos)

German First World War 8.8-cm L/30C U-boat Deck Gun from U-91, (Serial Nr. 1972), Fried. Krupp AG 1916, 488KG stamped on the breech, 1972L on the trunnion, 510 F.N. 532, 1972.0 on the barrel.  SM U-91 was a German First World War Type Mittel U submarine launched in 1917.  SM U-91 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) during the First World War.  U-91 served with III Flotilla from 13 December 1917 to 11 November 1918.  During its service, this submarine conducted eight patrols and sank 37 ships and damaged two.  U-91 took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic and remained in service until it was surrendered to France on 26 November 1918.  U-91’s deck gun likely came to Canada before the submarine was broken up at Brest, France in July 1921.

The 88-mm/30 Ubts L/30 was designed at the end of the nineteenth century for use on coastal and river gunboats. It was later adapted for use in First World War U-boats. The CWM artefact was originally installed in the Type UB III coastal U-boat UB 91. The boat was laid down on 23September 1916, and commissioned on 11 April 1918. Commanded by Wolf-Hans Hertwig, UB91 carried out two patrols, sinking five ships of a total weight of 16,448 tons. UB 91 surrendered on 21 November 1918, and was broken up at Briton Ferry in 1921. UB 91 displaced 516 tons on the surface and 651 tons submerged. She was capable of 13.6 knots on the surface (8 knots submerged), and had a range of 14,464 km (9,040 miles) at 6 knots on the surface (88 km (55miles) at 4 knots submerged). She carried ten torpedoes, and could dive to a maximum depth of75 metres (246 ft). UB 91 had a crew of 34 all ranks. (Source: U-boats.net). CWM19390002-558.

(Author Photos)

German First World War 15-cm schwere Feldhaubitze 1902 (15-cm sFH 02), (Serial Nr. 877), no data, Fried Krupp AG, 1916.  1182 on the carriage.  This gun was originally allocated to Hamilton, Ontario. The 150-mm schweres Feldhaubitze m/02 (s Fh m/02) began life in 1893 as a rigid-mount gun(on a field carriage with no recoil system). In 1899 Krupp used the barrel as the basis for a gun with a modern recoil system, resulting in the s Fh m/02. It was the first gun in the German Armywith a modern recoil system. It entered service in June 1903. At the beginning of the First World War, Germany fielded 416 of these heavy howitzers. It took an average of 17-18 minutes for a battery to deploy from the march to firing the first round. The gun could be converted into two loads for mountain use. The CWM artefact was manufactured in 1916, was shipped to Canada as a war trophy in 1919 and spent 75 years in Dundurn Park in Hamilton, Ontario. CWM 19940038-002. (Doug Knight)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3397960)

German First World War 21-cm Mörser blown on its side from an explosion of a nearby ammunition dump destroyed by Canadian Artillery fire, Arras, Oct 1918.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3406014)

Canadian troops with captured German First World War 21-cm Mörser.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3397919)

German First World War 21-cm Mörsers being inspected by General Currie.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3397820)

German First World War 21-cm Mörser Heavy Mortar damaged by shellfire, being examined by a Canadian Officer, May 1917.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3397825)

German First World War 21-cm Mörser Heavy Mortar damaged by shellfire, being examined by a Canadian Officer, May 1917.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3397851)

German First World War 21-cm Mörser, Vimy Ridge, captured by the 27th Bn, Aug 1917.  Although Germany called the 21-cm Langer Mörser a mortar, it was closer in design to a heavy siege howitzer. Based on an 1898 mortar, it was redesigned by Krupp in 1910 and again in 1916to increase its range while limiting the increase in weight. Because of its weight, at first it was divided into two loads for horse transport. The CWM artefact is a later carriage intended to be towed by a vehicle or tractor. The large pads on the wheels reduced the ground pressure and eased the load. The 1910 and 1916 versions were among the most important German heavy howitzers of the First World War and together fired more than seven million shells. Some were modernized in 1934-35, but only 28 remained at the beginning of the Second World War. CWM 19940038-001. (Doug Knight)

(Author Photos)

German First World War 21-cm Mörser 1910 neuer Art Heavy Mortar, (Serial Nr. 679), Krupp AG, Essen, 1916.  Captured by the 18th Battalion.  Originally allocated to Hamilton, Ontario.

There aren't very many of these 21-cm 21-cm Mörsers left in the world.  Of the three that survive in Canada, there is this 1910 model in the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, another 1910 model in Battlefield Park, Quebec City Park) and a 1916 model in the Quebec Citadel.

In the UK, there are three 1910 models, with one each at Bovington, Duxford, and Inniskilling.  Australia has two 1910 models with one each at Childers and Melbourne, and three 1916 models, with one each at the Australian War Museum Canberra, another at Hobart and the third (with a blown barrel) in the Australian War Museum at Mitchell.  Another 1916 model is with the Peter Jackson collection at Omaka, New Zealand.

In the USA, there are four 1910 models with one each at Bloomington, Illinois, Clackamas, Oregon, Hickory, North Carolina, and Lowell, Montana).  There are ten 1916 versions, with one each at Waterbury, Connecticut (Serial Nr. 1233), Kennedy Park, Fall River, Massachusetts (Serial Nr. 839), Fort Meade, Maryland, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Columbus, Kansas, Harrisonburg, Virginia, (Serial Nr. 913) Newport News, Virginia Wars Museu, Virginia (Serial Nr. -82), Victoria, Virginia (Serial Nr. 883), Corporal Willis S.Cole Military Museum, Kirtland, Washington, and Spring Green, Wisconsin (locked in full recoil position, damaged).

One is located at Spandau, Germany, one 1916 model is with the Musée Royal de l'Armée (presented with the tube in transport position on a Rohr Wagon) in Brussels, Belgium, and one 1916 version is with the Finnish Artillery Museum at Hameenlinna, Finland.

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