The 7.7 cm Feldkanone 96 (7.7 cm FK 96) was a field gun used by Germany before
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
.
History
It was a thoroughly conventional gun, being a modernized version of
Krupp
The Krupp family (see pronunciation), a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, is notable for its production of steel, artillery, ammunition and other armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG (Friedrich Krupp ...
's
FK 73 gun, but failed to incorporate any recoil system other than a partially effective spade brake, and fired a 12-pound projectile. Thus it was rendered obsolete when the French introduced their
Canon de 75 modèle 1897
The French 75 mm field gun was a quick-firing field artillery piece adopted in March 1898. Its official French designation was: Matériel de 75mm Mle 1897. It was commonly known as the French 75, simply the 75 and Soixante-Quinze (Frenc ...
the following year. Most guns were rebuilt to modern standards (only the barrel was retained) in 1904 as the
7.7 cm FK 96 n.A. (neuer Art)
ew modelwhich served throughout
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
as one of Germany's main light field guns. The remaining unmodified guns were then known as the 7.7 cm FK 96 a.A. (alte Art or old model).
A number of 7.5 cm Krupp L/24 quick firing guns, similar to the 7.7 cm Feldkanone C/96 (FK 96 a/A) guns, were sold to the
Boer republic of
Transvaal. These guns were used with good effect against the British in the
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the So ...
between 1899 and 1902. A number of 7.7 cm FK 96 a/A guns were also used by German Colonial (Schutztruppen) batteries during the 1904
Herero Wars
The Herero Wars were a series of colonial wars between the German Empire and the Herero people of German South West Africa (present-day Namibia). They took place between 1904 and 1908.
Background Pre-colonial South-West Africa
The Hereros we ...
and during the South African invasion of German South West Africa, 1914–1915.
See also
*
C64 (field gun), roughly its predecessor in the Franco-Prussian and Second Schleswig War.
*
7.7 cm FK 96 n.A. : modernised version
Weapons of comparable role, performance and era
*
Ordnance BL 15 pounder
The Ordnance BL 15-pounder, otherwise known as the 15-pounder 7 cwt, was the British Army's field gun in the Second Boer War and some remained in limited use in minor theatres of World War I. It fired a shell of 3-inch (76 mm) diameter with a maxi ...
, British equivalent
References
* Jäger, Herbert. ''German Artillery of World War One''. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire: Crowood Press, 2001
* Ortner, M. Christian. ''The Austro-Hungarian Artillery From 1867 to 1918: Technology, Organization, and Tactics''. Vienna, Verlag Militaria, 2007
External links
7.7 cm FK 96 on Landships
World War I artillery of Germany
World War I guns
77 mm artillery
{{artillery-stub