8th Foot Artillery Fahnrich, Metz

Here are some additional photos:

ZYEaqxe.jpg


QlqiVpS.jpg


LmJdaHa.jpg


And my personal favorite:

drVkgaw.jpg


John :)
 
There was a „Lt. Koester“ in the Documet which Glenn posted.
For me the handwritten Name could be „Koester“. The „s“ was written similar like a todayˋs „f“ in german Kurrent or Kanzlei-Handwriting. And the next letter looks like a „t“ for me.
Please look here for examples of handwriting-letters:
http://www.suetterlinschrift.de/Lese/Kanzlei1.htm
 
festwagner said:
Hello Skipperjohn

THanks for the pictures, the 2nd and 4st pictures are 15 KiSL, the 2 others another type of gun
Click to expand...

I am afraid you lost me. I believe that you said that the 2nd and 4th photos are correct for the Schirmlafette, but the first and third photos are not. I can understand the first photo since this gun seems to be mounted on a bunker of some sort, but the third photo is labelled "Schirmlafette".

I'm confused???

John :?
 
Sandmann said:
There was a „Lt. Koester“ in the Documet which Glenn posted.
For me the handwritten Name could be „Koester“. The „s“ was written similar like a todayˋs „f“ in german Kurrent or Kanzlei-Handwriting. And the next letter looks like a „t“ for me.
Click to expand...

I'll buy that. Actually, that looks quite possible.
Thanks!

John :D
 
At the end of the war, 4 guns were taken by US troops near Mars La Tour. One gun was sent to USA to be studied. Unfortunately the gun was destroyed after WWI but the barrel is still existing, in a small city Topton.
But the city never wanted to give answer to my questions... If some one lives not far from this city...
Click to expand...


What state is Topton in?
 
I can't read the name in the photo well. "Koester" may be possible, while "Jos" probably is an abbreviation of "Joseph/Josef". I really like this kind of detective work - it makes the long dead wearer kinda come to life again!
 
aicusv said:
At the end of the war, 4 guns were taken by US troops near Mars La Tour. One gun was sent to USA to be studied. Unfortunately the gun was destroyed after WWI but the barrel is still existing, in a small city Topton.
But the city never wanted to give answer to my questions... If some one lives not far from this city...
Click to expand...


What state is Topton in?
Click to expand...

Never mind, I found it. It is Topton PA, in front of the American Legion Post (RAY A. MASTER. POST 217, Inc. 133 Centre Avenue. Topton, PA 19562) (there is a French 75 across the street from it). Until not to long ago Topton was a German speaking town. It is not really a city, population is just a little over 2,000 people, built as a whistle stop on the Railroad. I have been in and through there many times, about an hour and half drive for me.
 
SkipperJohn said:
festwagner said:
Hello Skipperjohn

THanks for the pictures, the 2nd and 4st pictures are 15 KiSL, the 2 others another type of gun
Click to expand...

I am afraid you lost me. I believe that you said that the 2nd and 4th photos are correct for the Schirmlafette, but the first and third photos are not. I can understand the first photo since this gun seems to be mounted on a bunker of some sort, but the third photo is labelled "Schirmlafette".

I'm confused???

John :?
Click to expand...


Yes I am confused too, I posted too fastly. 2nd and 3rd are Schirmlafette ! Sorry
 
aicusv said:
aicusv said:
At the end of the war, 4 guns were taken by US troops near Mars La Tour. One gun was sent to USA to be studied. Unfortunately the gun was destroyed after WWI but the barrel is still existing, in a small city Topton.
But the city never wanted to give answer to my questions... If some one lives not far from this city...
Click to expand...


What state is Topton in?
Click to expand...

Never mind, I found it. It is Topton PA, in front of the American Legion Post (RAY A. MASTER. POST 217, Inc. 133 Centre Avenue. Topton, PA 19562) (there is a French 75 across the street from it). Until not to long ago Topton was a German speaking town. It is not really a city, population is just a little over 2,000 people, built as a whistle stop on the Railroad. I have been in and through there many times, about an hour and half drive for me.
Click to expand...


Funny to put an german barrel in a former german speaking city!
I tried some years ago to contact the city council to have some informations about this barrel, but I had no answer...
 
As the gun belongs to the American Legion Post I doubt that anyone on Council would take much interest in it. You could try writing the Post Commander.
 
festwagner said:
SkipperJohn said:
festwagner said:
Hello Skipperjohn

THanks for the pictures, the 2nd and 4st pictures are 15 KiSL, the 2 others another type of gun
Click to expand...

I am afraid you lost me. I believe that you said that the 2nd and 4th photos are correct for the Schirmlafette, but the first and third photos are not. I can understand the first photo since this gun seems to be mounted on a bunker of some sort, but the third photo is labelled "Schirmlafette".

I'm confused???

John :?
Click to expand...


Yes I am confused too, I posted too fastly. 2nd and 3rd are Schirmlafette ! Sorry
Click to expand...

The forth photo sure looks like a Schirmlafette to me. The recoil mechanism looks the same. The housing cover looks the same, and the round looks to be very close to 15cm. Why do you say it is a different gun?
Anxious for the education.

John
 
John I am seeing three different types of cannon in these photos on this thread. Schirmlafette only means it has a large shield to protect the crew; it is not specific to the cannon type. I collect cartridge casings and am very interested to identify these. The ones with the very thick squared armour plate appear to be 15cm SK L/40 Marine Mounts from the SMS Grazelle, Bremen, Königsberg, Dresden and Tiger classes of cruisers which used separate cartridge and projectile.

Others have much thinner armour shields and have a distinctive overhang above the crew area. Different traverse, elevation and breech mechanisms from what I can see too. Most pointedly, they clearly used fixed ammunition. Really interesting. They have different steps on the barrel as well.

cc06c.jpg
 
aicusv said:
As the gun belongs to the American Legion Post I doubt that anyone on Council would take much interest in it. You could try writing the Post Commander.
Click to expand...

A great thanks for your help ! I will try it.
 
SkipperJohn said:
The forth photo sure looks like a Schirmlafette to me. The recoil mechanism looks the same. The housing cover looks the same, and the round looks to be very close to 15cm. Why do you say it is a different gun?
Anxious for the education.

John
Click to expand...

The gun carriage is less large than a 15 cm Kanone in Schirmlafette
 
John, nice grouping! Also, very interesting about the pieces the unit employed. Emplacing that thing off of the carriage looked like a real nightmare!

:D Ron
 
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