Canon de 240 L Mle 1884

Canon de 240 mm L modèle 1884
Canon de 240 mm L modèle 1884
	A US soldier with a Canon 240 mm Mle 1884 sur affût à Tracteur Saint-Chamond.
Type	Coastal artillery; Siege artillery; Railway artillery
Place of origin	France
Service history
Used by	France; Italy; Nazi Germany
Wars	World War I; World War II
Production history
Designer	Charles Ragon de Bange
Designed	1873
Manufacturer	St. Chamond
Produced	1884
No. built	60 guns and 60 spare barrels
Specifications
Mass	31,000 kg (68,000 lb)
Barrel length	6.7 m (22 ft) L/26
Shell	162 kg (357 lb)
Shell weight	HE; 140 kg (310 lb)
Caliber	240 mm (9.4 in)
Breech	de Bange
Recoil	Hydro-gravity
Elevation	0° to +38°
Traverse	10°
Rate of fire	1 shot every three minutes
Muzzle velocity	575 m/s (1,890 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	17.3 km (10.7 mi)

The Canon de 240 mm L modèle 1884 was a heavy artillery piece originally employed as coastal artillery and later converted to siege artillery and railway artillery roles. Mle 1884 guns were used in both World War I and World War II.

History

The Canon de 240 mm L mle 1884 was one of a series of heavy artillery pieces designed by Colonel Charles Ragon de Bange. On 11 May 1874 three de Bange heavy cannons (120 mm, 155 mm, 220 mm) and two mortars (220 mm, 270 mm) were ordered by the French Army.

The mle 1884 was advanced for its time due to being built completely of steel instead of a steel liner and cast iron reinforcing hoops of the previous Canon de 240 mm C mle 1870-87. The mle 1884 was also breech loaded with a de Bange obturator and a simple hydraulic recoil system.^[2]

Variants

Coastal Artillery

In the coastal artillery role, the mle 1884 was mounted on a variety of mounts. One of the most simple was the Canon 240 mm Mle 1884 sur affût à échantigolles which was a wooden naval carriage which lacked traverse and recoil mechanisms. The mle 1884 was also mounted on a number of different barbettes which normally consisted of a large diameter geared steel ring set into a concrete slab behind a parapet. A rectangular steel firing platform sat on top of the ring with the barrel of the gun overhanging the parapet at the front and an overhanging loading platform to the rear. The firing platform was then traversed by a worm gear which attached to the base.^[2]

The recoil system for the mle 1884 consisted of a U-shaped gun cradle which held the trunnioned barrel and a slightly inclined firing platform with hydraulic buffers. When the gun fired the hydraulic buffer slowed the recoil of the cradle which slid up a set of inclined rails on the firing platform and then returned to position by the combined action of the buffers and gravity. Later some mle 1884's were modified to use a Canet breech to reduce the number of crew needed to service the gun and increase its rate of fire. The resulting gun was designated the Canon de 240 TR mle 1884/03. At the outbreak of the First World War, it is estimated there were 149 mle 1884's deployed in coastal fortifications.^[2]

Siege Artillery

Although the majority of combatants had heavy field artillery prior to the outbreak of the First World War, none had adequate numbers of heavy guns in service, nor had they foreseen the growing importance of heavy artillery once the Western Front stagnated and trench warfare set in. Two sources of heavy artillery suitable for conversion to field use were coastal fortifications and surplus naval guns. Suitable field and rail carriages were built for these guns in an effort to give their forces the heavy field artillery needed to overcome trenches and hardened concrete fortifications.^[1]

Although an older design the need for heavy artillery on the Western Front was so pressing that at least five different mounts were devised for the mle 1884: two static and three railroad. The initial conversion of 16 guns was carried out by the Arsenal de Toulon and was designated the Canon de 240 mm mle 1884 sur affût à échantigolles. These consisted of the steel firing platform of the coastal gun being placed on top a platform made from wooden beams. There was no traverse mechanism so the entire platform had to be aligned with the target. Despite these limitations, the conversions were considered successful.^[2]

In 1915 St. Chamond was given the task of building a carriage for the mle 1884 and the design was accepted in 1916. The new gun was designated the Canon de 240 mm mle 1884 sur affût à Tracteur Saint-Chamont or Canon de 240 mm L modèle 1884 and St. Chamond completed sixty guns between October 1916 and October 1917. For transport, the mle 1884 could be broken down into two 20,000 kg (44,000 lb) loads each with their own carriage. Each carriage was towed by an artillery tractor with the tractors consuming about 1,000 L (260 US gal) of gasoline per 100 km (62 mi). Therefore, the artillery tractors were only used near the front with long-distance transport accomplished by rail. Once onsite the guns could be assembled in approximately 24 hours by cranes and block & tackle.^[2]

The new mount used the same large diameter geared base as the coastal mount with 10° traverse and 38° elevation was possible. The new guns were popular due to good barrel wear, long range, and heavy 140 kg (310 lb) shell. Guns that survived the war were designated the Canon de Mle 84/17 and used again during World War II. In 1939, twelve guns were mobilized and those captured by the Wehrmacht after the Fall of France were designated Kanone 556(f) and used for coastal defense.^[1]

Railway Artillery

In addition to its siege gun and coastal artillery roles, the mle 1884 was also converted to act as railway artillery:

The first of these conversions was designated the Canon de 240 mm mle 1884 sur de Circonstance Schneider. The gun and its base were attached to a 5-axle railroad carriage built by Schneider. There was no traverse for the carriage and to aim the gun had to be drawn across a section of curved track. The gun cradle used the same hydro-gravity recoil system as the coastal defense gun. The carriage had 4 wooden transverse beams that could be screwed down to anchor the carriage in place to absorb recoil. There was also a windlass at the front of the carriage to return the gun to position if it recoiled.^[2]

The second conversion of the mle 1884 began during 1914 to mount the earlier Canon de 240 mm G mle 1870-87 on a railroad carriage and was designated the Canon de 24 cm modèle 1870-87 et modèle 1870-93 sur affut tous azimuts Batignolles. This was one of the first pieces of railway artillery built by Batignolles and featured 360° of traverse. The gun rested on two three-axle bogies. Before firing, 4 steel beams were anchored across the track, and 4 lateral outriggers were unfolded next to the track to ensure the stability and 360° fire. A loading platform on the rear of the firing platform could carry five ready rounds and charges which raised the rate of fire to four shots in five minutes.^[2] The conversion was successful but the mle 1870-87 was a very old gun and due to its mixed construction, each metal had different thermal properties which accelerated barrel wear. Therefore, it was decided in early 1917 to mate the mle 1884 with the Batignolles rail carriage and designated the Canon de 240 mm Mle 1884 sur affût-Trucs TAZ. The combination was successful and considered one of the best pieces of French rail artillery by combining a powerful and accurate gun with 360° traverse. Guns which survived the First World War later saw action in the Second World War and those captured by the Germans were given the designation 24cm K(E) 557(f) and used as coastal artillery.^[2]

The last conversion of the mle 1884 began late in 1917 and used the same rail carriage as the Canon 240 mm Mile 1884 sur de Circonstance Schneider. However, the gun originally mounted on the carriage was the Canon de 240 mm G mle 1876 with mle 1884 barrels eventually replacing worn mle 1876 barrels. The details are largely the same as the previous conversion and were designated Canon 240 mm Mle 1884 sur affût de fortune Mle 1917. It is believed that the 38 converted were too late to enter service during the First World War.^[2] Eight mle 17 guns were mobilized during the Second world war and five were captured by the Germans who gave them the designation 24 cm Kanone (Eisenbahn) 557(f). Three were used by the Germans and two were given to the Italians after the Fall of France. After the Italian capitulation the two guns given to Italy returned to German service.^[3]

Photo Gallery

A Canon 240 mm Mle 1884 sur affût à échantigolles
A Canon de 240 L Mle 1884 on a center pivot mount.
A diagram of a Canon de 240 L Mle 1884 on a center pivot mount.
A camouflaged Canon de 240 mle 1884 employed as field artillery at Terny-Sorny (Aisne) May 8, 1918.
A line drawing of a Canon de 240 mm Mle 1884 sur de Circonstance Schneider.
A line drawing of a Canon de 240 mm Mle 1884 sur affût-Trucs TAZ.

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Hogg, Ian (2000). Twentieth-century artillery. New York: Barnes & Noble Books. pp. 85. ISBN 0760719942. OCLC 44779672.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ "Canon G de 240 mle 1884 de côte - WO1Wiki". www.forumeerstewereldoorlog.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2011-08-22. Retrieved 2017-11-10.
^ Zaloga, Steve (2016). Railway guns of World War II. Dennis, Peter. Oxford: Osprey. pp. 5–8. ISBN 978-1472810687. OCLC 907965829.

References

S. Ferrard, Les Matériels de l’armée de terre Française 1940, Tome 2, p83-85, p124-125.
G. François, Les canons de la Victoire. Tôme 2, Artillerie Lourde à Grande Puissance, p15, p20, p30, 32.
G. François, Les canons de la Victoire. Tôme 3, l’Artillerie de côte et l’artillerie de tranchée, p22.
G. François, Histoire de l’artillerie lourde sur voie ferrée française de 1886 à 1918, p31.
F. Kosar, Die Schweren Geschütze der Welt, p 102-103.
F. Kosar, Die Eisenbahn-Geschütze der Welt, p 86.
H. Miller, Railway Artillery: A Report on the Characteristics, Scope of Utility, Etc., of Railway Artillery , 192

External links

[:0-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Hogg, Ian (2000). Twentieth-century artillery. New York: Barnes & Noble Books. pp. 85. ISBN 0760719942. OCLC 44779672.

[:1-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ "Canon G de 240 mle 1884 de côte - WO1Wiki". www.forumeerstewereldoorlog.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2011-08-22. Retrieved 2017-11-10.

[3] Zaloga, Steve (2016). Railway guns of World War II. Dennis, Peter. Oxford: Osprey. pp. 5–8. ISBN 978-1472810687. OCLC 907965829.

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[2]

[3]

v t e French artillery of World War I
Anti-aircraft guns	Canon de 75 antiaérien mle 1913-1917
Coastal artillery	Canon de 100 mm Modèle 1891 Canon de 19 C modèle 1870/93 Canon de 19 C modèle 1875 Canon de 24 C modèle 1876 Canon de 240 L Mle 1884 Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1889
Field artillery	Canon de 75 modèle 1897 Canon de 75 modèle 1912 Schneider Canon de 75 modèle 1914 Schneider De Bange 90 mm cannon Obusier de 120 mm C modèle 1890 Obusier de 120 mm mle 15TR
Infantry guns	Canon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP
Medium and heavy artillery	Canon de 105 mle 1913 Schneider Canon de 155 court modèle 1904 Rimailho Canon de 120 mm modèle 1878 Canon de 145 L modele 1916 Saint-Chamond Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1881 Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1890 Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider Canon de 155 C modèle 1915 St. Chamond Canon de 155 L modèle 1877/14 Schneider Canon de 155 L Modele 1917 Schneider Canon de 155 L modèle 1918 Schneider Canon de 155 mm GPF De Bange 155 mm cannon Canon de 220 L mle 1917 Mortier de 220 modèle 1915/1916 Schneider
Mortars	Cellerier Mortar Mortier de 58 T N°1 Mortier de 58 T N°1 bis Mortier de 58 mm type 2 Mortier de 75 modèle 1915 Schneider Mortier de 150 mm T Mle 1917 Fabry Mortier de 240 mm Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1885 Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1889
Mountain artillery	Canon de 65 M modele 1906 75 mm Schneider-Danglis 06/09 Canon Court de 105 M modele 1909 Schneider
Railway artillery	Canon de 120 L mle 1878 sur affût-truc Peigné-Canet-Schneider mle 1897 Canon de 140 sur affut-truc mle 1884 Obusier de 155 C mle 1881 sur affût-truc Peigné-Canet-Schneider mle 1897 Materiel de 155 sur affut-truc Schneider Canon de 164 modèle 1893/96 TAZ Canon de 19 C modèle 1875 Canon de 19 modèle 1870/93 TAZ Obusier de 200 "Pérou" sur affût-truck TAZ Schneider 24 cm Canon G modèle 1916 Canon de 240 L Mle 1884 Canon de 240 modèle 93/96 TAZ Canon de 274 modèle 93/96 Berceau Canon de 274 modèle 87/93 Glissement Canon de 305 modèle 93/96 TAZ Canon de 305 modèle 1893/96 à berceau Canon de 305 modèle 1893/96 à glissement Canon de 32 modèle 1870/81 à glissement Canon de 32 modèle 1870/84 à glissement Canon de 32 modèle 1870/93 à glissement Canon de 340 modèle 1893 à glissement Canon de 340 modèle 1912 à berceau Canon de 340 modèle 1912 à glissement Obusier de 370 modèle 1915 à berceau Canon de 370 modèle 75/79 Glissement Obusier de 400 Modèle 1915/1916 Obusier de 520 modèle 1916
Siege artillery	Obusier de 120 mm C modèle 1890 Canon de 120 mm modèle 1878 Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1881 Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1890 Mortier de 220 mm modèle 1880 Canon de 240 L Mle 1884 Canon de 240 TR Mle 1903 Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1885 Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1889 Mortier de 280 modèle 1914 Schneider Mortier de 293 Danois sur affut-truck modèle 1914 Mortier de 370 modèle 1914 Filloux
Self propelled artillery	Canon de 194 GPF Canon de 220mm L Mle1917 Schneider (FAHM) Mortier 280 mm TR de Schneider sur affût-chenilles St Chamond
Armoured vehicle guns	Puteaux 37 mm SA 18 Canon de 75 modèle 1897

v t e French artillery of World War II
Anti-aircraft guns	Mitrailleuse de 25 mm CA mle 39 Canon de 75 antiaérien mle 1913-1917 Canon de 75 CA modèle 1940 Schneider
Anti-tank guns	25 mm Hotchkiss anti-tank gun 25 mm APX modèle 1937 AC 37 anti-tank gun AC 47 anti-tank gun 47 mm APX anti-tank gun
Coastal artillery	Canon de 100 mm Modèle 1891 Canon de 19 C modèle 1870/93 Canon de 240 L Mle 1884 Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1889
Field artillery	Canon de 75 modèle 1897
Infantry guns	Canon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP
Medium and Heavy artillery	Canon de 105 court mle 1934 Schneider Canon de 105 court mle 1935 B Canon de 105 L mle 1936 Schneider Canon de 105 mle 1913 Schneider Canon de 145/155 L modele 1916 Saint-Chamond Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider Canon de 155 L modèle 1877/14 Schneider Canon de 155 L Modele 1917 Schneider Canon de 155 L modèle 1918 Schneider Canon de 155mm GPF Canon de 194 GPF Canon de 220 L mle 1917 Mortier de 220 modèle 1915/1916 Schneider Mortier 280 mm TR de Schneider-St Chamond
Mortars	Mortier de 150 mm T Mle 1917 Fabry
Mountain artillery	Canon de 65 M modele 1906 Canon de 75 M modele 1919 Schneider Canon de 75 M modele 1928 Canon Court de 105 M modele 1909 Schneider Canon Court de 105 M modèle 1919 Schneider
Railroad artillery	Canon de 164 modèle 1893/96 TAZ Canon de 19 modèle 1870/93 TAZ Canon de 240 modèle 93/96 TAZ Canon de 305 modèle 1906/10 à glissement Canon de 32 modèle 1870/84 à glissement Canon de 32 modèle 1870/93 à glissement Canon de 320 modèle 1917 à glissement Canon de 340 modèle 1893 à glissement Canon de 340 modèle 1912 à berceau Canon de 340 modèle 1912 à glissement Obusier de 370 modèle 1915 Canon de 370 modèle 75/79 Glissement Obusier de 400 Modèle 1915/1916 Obusier de 520 modèle 1916
Siege artillery	Canon de 240 L Mle 1884 Mortier de 280 modèle 1914 Schneider Mortier de 293 Danois sur affut-truck modèle 1914 Mortier de 370 modèle 1914 Filloux
Tank guns	37 mm SA 18 37 mm SA mle 1938 47mm SA mle 1935 75 mm ABS mle 1929