 History, datas and pictures of British, US, Russian and French field artillery and gun motor carriages of WW2.
Most of this field artillery guns are used or will be used with the computer wargame WW2 Total.
'Field artillery' is a phrase that means different things to different armies. Generally, it describes the artillery which is part and parcel of the infantry or armoured division, acting as that division's immediate fire support, and subservient to the divisional commander. Other artillery may be attached, for special operations or to provide heavier support, and remains under the hand of a
higher command.
'Field artillery' can also be used to describe the
lighter forms of artillery that can be easily and quickly manoeuvred in support of tactical
operations.
In another context, the phrase can be used to
draw a line of limiting weight or calibre.
Field artillery underwent a considerable change in the 1919-39 period, as a result of experience
gained in 1914-1918. Prior to 1914, the ruling factor in field gun design was the pulling power of a six-horse team. If the finest gun in the world was too heavy for six horses to move, it would not be
adopted.
This attitude began to change in the late 1920s, as
the motor vehicle took a grip on the civilian population, and the number of horses available for requisitioning to pull artillery in the event of war began rapidly to decrease. The armies were faced with either taking up horse-breeding as a fulltime occupation, or embracing mechanical traction. A few might well have welcomed the former option, but fortunately common sense prevailed, and mechanization gradually began. It is, however, a little-known fact that the only completely mechanized army that went to war in
1939 was the British. The French, German and Russian armies still relied very much on horse draught for their artillery and for much of their day-to-day transport in garrisons, and the US Army was still deploying horse cavalry as late as the summer
of 1940.
 
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