French 75mm mle/1897 Limber

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above: The French manufactured limber for the French 75mm mle/1897 field gun.  There is a US manufactured limber for this same gun.  This French manufactured example is the only one know in North America.  It retains its French Horizon Blue paint on the interior.  The exterior is over painted in original French Disruptive Camouflage.  This style of camouflage is influenced by the Cubist Art Movement 

Above: In this photograph you can see the more vivid color on the right side of the French Limber, where wax has been applied on the original paint

Above:  A view of the French 75mm Limber with the ammunition box lid open.  The original French Horizon Blue paint is visible

Above:  A side view of the French Limber for the 75mm mle/97, with original camouflage paint

Above:  A side view of the French Limber for the 75mm mle/97, with original camouflage paint

Above:  This is a close up of a marking on the left bottom side of the limber.  The marking reads “CMM C 1917 2753”.  The 7 in 1917 appears to be over stamped over 1916 

Above and Below:  The near box is for the limber and the far box is for the caisson.  The caisson box contains the fuze setter. The smaller box with a tan color is the box for the recoil pump. One in four of the gun limbers carried these pumps. Below is a closeup of the plate on the pump box. Thanks to Eddy Dobson for this information about the recoil pump

Below: An illustration of the pump for the French 75mm mle/97 recoil mechanism, which would have been housed in the small box. I am looking for an example of this pump. Please contact me if you have one for sale or trade (LOVETT155@HOTMAIL.COM)

Below: The French 75mm Limber for the gun and the caisson without wheels. The wheels are being imported

This is the French designed and manufactured one not the US M1918 Limber for the French 75mm.  It appears to be the only one in the USA now.  This example is painted French horizon blue with what appears to be French WW1 Era camouflage painted over much of the box.  The wheels are missing but I have located and bought a set in Germany.  They are being imported now.  My plan is to stop the rust in the few places it exist on this example and leave the original horizon blue and camouflage. Lint seed oil or waxing may be the best options here.  The French limber is also missing the pintle hitch and limber pole.  I have a temporary pintle hitch but the limber pole will be a little more challenging.  If anyone has good technical drawings of either of these, they would be greatly appreciated.  The limber is marked to battery 66 and gun number 3.  With the French table of organization in WW1, I believe there are multiple battery 66 units in each regiment, so no way to pin point which exact regiment, battalion and battery this is.  If someone has a different (or better) understanding of the French order of battle for WW1 and see a way to pin point the unit please let me know

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to the 75mm mle/1897 "French 75" Gun in the Lovett Collection

 

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All images, research, and text are sole property of Ralph Lovett.