| Guns of the Great War During WW1 the great leveler on the battlefield was not the machine gun but artillery. Its a bit odd that the objects that were responsible for killing so many soldiers and civilians were taken back to the allied countries to be used as war trophies and memorials. I would guess many were lost to scrap drives during WW2 but there are hundreds that still survive today in the US in various roadside parks, cemetaries and musuems. Ive included photos of a number that Ive located over the years. I find them interesting in part because they sit as tangible reminders from this part of history. |
German 76cc mm mortar,dated
1917 and in very good shape.
Located along Park St. in Allendale,
New Jersey.
1917 and in very good shape.
Located along Park St. in Allendale,
New Jersey.
1918 dated British 4.5" howitzer,
located in front of the VFW in
Morris Plains NJ which is right off
Rt 202. NJ Transit train tracks are
right across the road. The gun was
modernized with post war wheels.
located in front of the VFW in
Morris Plains NJ which is right off
Rt 202. NJ Transit train tracks are
right across the road. The gun was
modernized with post war wheels.
2 German 25cm mortars or Minenwerfers - located in the veterans section of the
Laurel Grove Cemetary on Totowa Rd in Totowa NJ.
Laurel Grove Cemetary on Totowa Rd in Totowa NJ.
German 76 mm mortar - located in
a small roadside veterans park on
Browertown Rd. in West Paterson
NJ. Right down the street from
town library and police station.
a small roadside veterans park on
Browertown Rd. in West Paterson
NJ. Right down the street from
town library and police station.
German K14 10cm Kanone with
blown out barrel - located in front
of the Wayne NJ VFW building on
Mountain View Blvd adjacent to
Route 23. I wonder if the blown
barrel is due to a premature
explosion or did someone
purposely destroy the gun to
prevent it from being used by the
other side?
blown out barrel - located in front
of the Wayne NJ VFW building on
Mountain View Blvd adjacent to
Route 23. I wonder if the blown
barrel is due to a premature
explosion or did someone
purposely destroy the gun to
prevent it from being used by the
other side?
A WW1 tank in NJ?
Pictured is a US built
version of the
French Renault. It
sits in front of VFW
2290 in Manville.
Pictured is a US built
version of the
French Renault. It
sits in front of VFW
2290 in Manville.
French SBML Mortier de 150mm
located on Washington Ave in
downtown Westwood NJ. There is a
round badge on the guns frame with a
serial number and a date - 1917
however on the same ID badge it also
says Delaunay Belleville - St. Denis
1918. It appears someone is doing
some preservation work based on the
brown primer applied to the base of
the gun. Thats good because the base
of the gun is rusting badly. Mortar was
dedicated to town in Sept. 1927.
located on Washington Ave in
downtown Westwood NJ. There is a
round badge on the guns frame with a
serial number and a date - 1917
however on the same ID badge it also
says Delaunay Belleville - St. Denis
1918. It appears someone is doing
some preservation work based on the
brown primer applied to the base of
the gun. Thats good because the base
of the gun is rusting badly. Mortar was
dedicated to town in Sept. 1927.
Above two pieces are located in Belmar NJ right
alongside Route 35 and 7th avenue in a small park
adjacent to the NJ Transit railroad tracks. Park also
contains a Viquesney Spirit of the American
Doughboy statue. The small mortar on the upper
left is French - its called a Mortier de 58mm
Crapouillot or "Little Toad". It shoots a variety of
shells that look like elongated American footballs
with wings on them. A stick on the end of the shell
would be placed inside the barrel of the gun. Ive
included a photo I found of two french soldiers
who appear to be ready to fire the mortar. The
artillery piece on the upper right is a German 10cm
Kanone m04 L/30.
alongside Route 35 and 7th avenue in a small park
adjacent to the NJ Transit railroad tracks. Park also
contains a Viquesney Spirit of the American
Doughboy statue. The small mortar on the upper
left is French - its called a Mortier de 58mm
Crapouillot or "Little Toad". It shoots a variety of
shells that look like elongated American footballs
with wings on them. A stick on the end of the shell
would be placed inside the barrel of the gun. Ive
included a photo I found of two french soldiers
who appear to be ready to fire the mortar. The
artillery piece on the upper right is a German 10cm
Kanone m04 L/30.
British 60 Pounder BL
MKI heavy field gun. This
piece was placed
alongside Main St. in
Bloomingdale NJ in the
mid 1930's. The town
seems to periodically
repaint and clean it and
it remains in excellent
condition.
MKI heavy field gun. This
piece was placed
alongside Main St. in
Bloomingdale NJ in the
mid 1930's. The town
seems to periodically
repaint and clean it and
it remains in excellent
condition.
