Save the Locust Valley Gun! - German 77mm C96Na Artillery

P

ph0ebus

New member
Hi all,

I just wanted folks on this forum to be aware of the preservation effort that is soon to begin on one of my local Great War-era memorials that has suffered from severe neglect for the past half century, if not longer. The Locust Valley gun is one of only eight surviving Great War-era German 77mm C96Na guns in the United States and one of the last 44 guns of this type that remain in the world. I am receiving more details later this week about the restoration and will add the relevant information here.

Here are two views of the gun in its present condition:

Picture_557-300x216.jpg


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If you have questions for me please let me know.

Thanks,

-Daniel
 
Hi Pierre,

There are apparently two of these in Belleau Wood...here's your gun:

http://www.passioncompassion1418.com/Canons/ImagesCanons/Allemagne/Legere/english_FC77FK96nABoisBelleauBis.html

And here is the other one, which looks damaged:

http://www.passioncompassion1418.com/Canons/ImagesCanons/Allemagne/Legere/english_FC77FK96nABoisBelleau.html

France seems to have the lion's share of these particular guns, with 19 of the remaining 44 guns. If you want to see the list of all remaining examples of this gun (and other guns, too), visit here:

http://www.passioncompassion1418.com/Canons/english_CanonsIndex_Nation.html#Allemagne

-Daniel
 
Again Daniel,
These links to that site, you mentioned, are really very helpful in identifying artillery guns! Thanks again for the info!
From my website another sample:
Notre Dame de Lorette
NDL_Trenches_0045.jpg


If the link to the photo is not working. Click HERE.

But of course you are right, Daniel, and from a long distance I share your concern about the Locust Valley Gun. These 77mm FK96 guns are really very seldom to be found worldwide.
 
Hello,

Per the lirbary, there is a plaque that accompanies the gun which reads as follows:

Captured German Cannon presented by the French Government to Henry P. Davidson, Chairman of the American Red Cross War Council and By Him Donated to the Residents of Locust Valley, L.I. To Be Preserved As A Memorial Of Their Patriotic Sacrifices, Services, And Contributions During The World War. 1917-1919.

I have emailed the Red Cross to see what info they may have on this gun. Any other suggestions as to who might have information about the gun itself {other than emailing France? :) }?

-Daniel
 
Hi Gustaf,

Thanks for the laugh...I needed that. I'll start my letter now:

Dear France,

How's it going? I know, I said I would write, but I've been so busy....

-Daniel
 
ph0ebus said:
Hi all,

I just wanted folks on this forum to be aware of the preservation effort that is soon to begin on one of my local Great War-era memorials that has suffered from severe neglect for the past half century, if not longer. The Locust Valley gun is one of only eight surviving Great War-era German 77mm C96Na guns in the United States and one of the last 44 guns of this type that remain in the world. I am receiving more details later this week about the restoration and will add the relevant information here.

If you have questions for me please let me know.

Thanks,

-Daniel
Click to expand...

Have you tried contacting the US Army Artillery Museum, Fort Sill, Oklahoma? They have several of these if memory serves me. They could possibly be a big help in the restoration as far as research information goes.

http://sill-www.army.mil/Museum/HOME%20PAGE.htm
 
Hi Phoebus,

Having grown up in Locust Valley, I know this cannon well. I used to play on it when I was a kid. Two years ago I had discussions with the director of the Locust Valley Library about the possibility of having this piece restored. I tried to find somebody who could provide quotes for a professional restoration, but ran into dead ends, got frustrated and gave up. If we could get a quote for professional restoration of the gun, then the director of the library would take that to her Board of Directors and we could get the ball rolling. Please send me a PM. I’ll be in LV mid-August and perhaps we could meet then.

This 7,7cm 1896 n/A was built in 1898 first with no recoil mechanism and was then re-built in 1907 with the shield and hydro-spring recoil. The crest on the barrel is for Kaiser William II.

The local Boy Scout troop was going to try to tackle the restoration, but as far as I know, the effort did not get off the ground. The piece has been restored once and the wheelwright work may not have been done correctly.

Here are some more picture of the piece:



http://s613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/mdillenbeck/Locust Valley Library/

Here are a couple more links on the subject.

http://www.landships.freeservers.com/feldkanone_96_na.htm


http://www.lovettartillery.com/German Artillery Related Equipment.html


Best Regards,

Mark D.

Cannon_Right.jpg

Cannon_Breach.jpg

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Cannon_Inscription.jpg
 
Hi Mark, all...

I believe there is a restoration effort already underway. Per the library, in an email dated 12/8/09, the restoration was slated to begin in 2010 led by the Matinecock Neighborhood Association. The first step was to have the wheels (what's left of them) removed and sent to an Amish wheelwright for an estimate. Once the wheels are restored they will move on to the second phase, restoring the cannon itself.

It has been a while since I checked in with them though and perhaps that effort has stalled. I will see where things are at and report back.

I never got any response from the Red Cross. I may have to nudge them again.

-Daniel
 
Good news from my contact at the Locust Valley Library:

The cannon was sent out in early May for restoration. They are hoping to have it back by the end of the summer but apparently wheel restoration is a slow moving process. When I get a date for the return, I will let you know.

I will post updates as I get them, but this makes me very happy. I do not think I mentioned this previously, but this is precisely the type of gun my grandfather's FAR unit used in the war.

By the way, a brief video of the cannon and the War Memorial can be viewed here:

http://www.videosurf.com/video/outside-library-84589950

-Daniel
 
Heard back from my contact at the Library:

Good news, the cannon should be back at the end of the month - I will be sure to let you know as soon as I hear a date. The MNA can confirm if there are any photos taken but again, I'll let you know as soon as I hear something.

:D

-Daniel
 
I think there might be many more pieces laying around than the web site at the beginning of this posting indicates. I know of a live and properly papered 77 in PA, an abandoned heavy Skoda in West Virginia and a trench mortar in Maryland. I can't afford the first and the Skoda can probably be had for scrap price but would require a large flat bed truck and some heavy equipment to move. With the latter, acquistion and moving are challenges that can be overcome but getting it past my wife is another issue.

The trench mortar has been offered to me at a reasonable price but it is live and unpapered so I'm afraid of that one. I could put the trench mortar in my gun room and my wife wouldn't notice it for weeks.
 
keoki7 said:
I think there might be many more pieces laying around than the web site at the beginning of this posting indicates. I know of a live and properly papered 77 in PA, an abandoned heavy Skoda in West Virginia and a trench mortar in Maryland. I can't afford the first and the Skoda can probably be had for scrap price but would require a large flat bed truck and some heavy equipment to move. With the latter, acquistion and moving are challenges that can be overcome but getting it past my wife is another issue.

The trench mortar has been offered to me at a reasonable price but it is live and unpapered so I'm afraid of that one. I could put the trench mortar in my gun room and my wife wouldn't notice it for weeks.
Click to expand...

I would heartily encourage you (and anyone else, for that matter) who knos if guns not on the website to contact the site's operator and let him know. If you have specifics or better yet photos I am sure he would love to have them and expand the database he is building.

I am almost afraid to ask but what would the scrap price on the Skoda be, theoretically speaking? :)

-Daniel
 
http://home.mindspring.com/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=actual&linkpath=http://home.mindspring.com/~jhooah/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/BreifingWINGET.jpg&target=tlx_new
 
Here is some recent news about the Locust Valley cannon. When I visited Locust Valley about a month ago the piece was under wraps waiting for the official unveiling, so I couldn’t get pictures.

Mark D.

LVLeaderreCannon_CoverPhoto.jpg

LVLeaderreCannon_Article.jpg
 
The cannon looks fab. I will see if I can wheedle the unveiling date out of my contact at the library!

-Daniel
 
Hi all,

Appropriately enough, the cannon will be rededicated on November 11th at 11 am. I intend to be there and will post photos here.

Thanks,

-Daniel
 
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