Canon de 155 C modèle 1915 St. Chamond, type of Field howitzer
The Canon de 155 C modèle 1915 St. Chamond is a heavy French field gun from World War I featuring a 155-millimeter barrel and a shield to protect the crew. The cannon was mounted on a box carriage with wooden wheels and could be pulled by horses or vehicles across the battlefield.
The cannon was developed in 1915 by the Saint-Chamond company based on a Mexican prototype, and the French government ordered about 400 units. The first units reached the front in late 1916 but were quickly replaced by the more powerful Schneider cannon and largely disappeared from combat by 1917.
The gun was heavy enough to deliver powerful fire yet mobile enough for field artillery of its era, though it moved slowly across terrain. Visitors should keep in mind the cannon's original role in trench warfare, where it provided direct supporting artillery fire to infantry units.
Finland purchased 24 of these cannons around the time of the Winter War, and four survive today, including one in the woods near Orimattila. These weapons remained in Finnish service until the 1960s, long after both world wars had ended.
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