Revolving Cannon in Trench

[Gspragge]

Likely 1915 from the state of the Soldiers. Shortages of everything so these
got pressed into use in trencehs. Later used for Balloon protection.

 

[M8owner]

Being used by Germans?

 

[batonroundcollector]

That's a Gruson-Hotchkiss Revolverkanone, right? Yes used by Germans, being made under licence.

 

[M8owner]

In his diaries, Louis Barthas describes being bombarded by farting little shells on Hill 304 near Verdun. He and his comrades thought they were worse than a standard artillery bombardment. This could have been the source.

 

[Gspragge]

Yes old Fortress stock taken out of storage and re-issuded. Early war Army ("Farting") rounds for this. Both pattterns
of projectile (no navel markings) with 1915 3.7cm fuzes, 1914 (marked on Canniser bottom) cannister.
Commercial pattern casings. The Gruson pattern round has an internal cardboard spacer in the casing to make up
for the smaller volume of the smokeless charge.