Austro-Hungarian artillery

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100 mm SKODA mountain cannon M 1916
Field artillery on the march

The artillery was part of the Austro-Hungarian Land Forces .

Structure and structure

The artillery of the common army in peacetime consisted of the following structure:

  • Field artillery
  • Fortress artillery
  • Mountain artillery
  • Technical artillery (artillery equipment)
  • Artillery shooting school ,

Further sub-units were the kk Landwehr artillery , consisting exclusively of field artillery with eight field cannon regiments and eight field howitzer divisions, as well as the ku (Honvéd) artillery , also only field artillery with eight field cannon regiments and a mounted artillery division.

The following units belonged to the kuk artillery in the peace presence:

  • 42 field cannon regiments (No. 1 to 42 with five batteries each - regiments 2, 4, 7.23, 26, 28, 32 and 40 had given the 5th battery to the Imperial and Royal Landwehr artillery and therefore only had four batteries)
  • 14 field howitzer regiments (No. 1 to 14 with four batteries each)
  • 9 mounted artillery divisions (No. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11, each with three batteries with four guns each)
  • 14 heavy howitzer divisions (No. 1 to 14, each with two batteries of four guns each)
  • 10 mountain artillery regiments (Nos. 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 each with four mountain cannon and two mountain hood batteries. In addition, an independent (Dalmatian) mountain cannon division with two batteries)
  • 6 fortress artillery regiments (No. 1 to 6 - No. 4 to 5 with three, the others with two battalions)
  • 10 independent fortress artillery battalions

With the field artillery (as well as with the train, for example) the designation division stood for an association of battalion strength . The division as such was called the troop division .

8 cm field cannon M 5 in position on the Isonzo front (1917)

Field artillery

Artillery staff pact according to the organic regulations of 1893 (examples):

Staff and staff units of a division field artillery regiment
2 staff officers 1 regimental adjutant (subaltern officer)
1 supplies officer (subaltern officer) 1 accounting officer (subaltern officer)
1 regimental doctor
1 regimental trumpeter 1 division trumpeter
6 officer servants 1 accounting assistant
Total: 6 officers, 9 men
Divisions field artillery regiment ammunition park cadre
1 captain 1 first lieutenant
1 accounting officer 1 platoon leader
1 corporal
1 chief gunner 1 under gunner
1 head gunner 1 underrun gunner
2 officer servants
Total: 2 officers 9 men
Divisions Field Artillery Regiment replacement depot cadre
1 captain
1 accounting officer 1 platoon leader
1 corporal
2 chief gunners 2 undergunners
1 head gunner 1 underrun gunner
1 officer servant
Total: 1 officer, 10 men
30.5 cm mortar M 11
Staff and staff units of a corps field artillery regiment
2 staff officers 1 regimental adjutant
(subaltern officer)
1 regimental doctor 1 senior physician
1 veterinarian
1 captain / Olt. Accounting officer 1 Ll. Accounting officer
2 accounting clerks 1 staff leader
1 regimental trumpeter 1 division trumpeter
8 officer servants
Total: 9 officers, 13 men
Corps field artillery regiment - ammunition park cadre
1 captain 2 first lieutenants
1 fireworker 1 accounting officer
2 train drivers 2 corporals
2 chief gunners 2 undergunners
3 top gunners 1 underrun gunner
3 servants
Total: 3 officers, 17 men
Corps field artillery regiment - replacement depot cadre
1 captain 2 first lieutenants
1 fireworker 1 non-commissioned accounting officer
2 train drivers 2 corporals
2 chief gunners 2 undergunners
2 top gunners 2 underrun gunners
3 servants 1 regimental blacksmith
1 course blacksmith 2 under gunner - forge
1 regimental saddler 3 under gunner - saddler
1 regimental fitter 2 under gunner - locksmith
1 regimental carriage 2 under gunner - Wagner
Total: 3 officers, 33 men
15 cm field howitzer M 14
Firing units of a field artillery Rgts (4 batteries):
4 captains 12 junior officers
4 ensigns 8 fireworkers
4 accounting officers 12 platoon leaders
20 corporals 4 battery trumpeters
16 Gun Vormeister 16 foreman
48 chief gunners 136 undergunners
48 top gunners 64 underrun gunners
1 course blacksmith 2 under gunner - forge
4 undergunners - saddlers 16 officer servants
Total: 16 officers, 404 men
Field artillery with a 9 cm M 75 field cannon in maneuvers (around 1900)

Fortress artillery

The fortress artillery was responsible for the artillery service within the fixed places and for the siege guns when attacking fortresses. The fortress artillery was divided into

Peace personnel of a fortress artillery regiment
The regimental staff:
1 colonel as regimental commander
1 regimental adjutant (first lieutenant) 1 provision officer (first lieutenant)
2 regimental or senior physicians 1 captain / lieutenant accounting officer
1 lieutenant accounting officer 2 accounting clerks
1 gunsmith 7 servants
The battalion headquarters:
3 lieutenant colonels / majors as battalion commanders 3 battalion adjutants (first lieutenants)
3 battalion trumpeters
6 officer servants
For the twelve companies and three replacement company cadres:
15 captains 39 subaltern officers
12 ensigns 27 fireworkers
15 accounting officers 54 platoon leader
12 company trumpeters 54 officer servants
66 corporals 216 foreman
336 chief gunners 459 undergunners
Total: 54 officers, 1251 NCOs and men

Anti-aircraft artillery

Shortly after the start of the war, the first anti-aircraft guns were necessarily modified. The 8 cm field cannon M5 was preferred. The provisional anti-aircraft mounts, which could be rotated through 360 °, were then replaced by fixed pivot mounts. Later, the “8 cm anti-aircraft anti-aircraft gun” from the Rheinische Metallwaren- und Maschinenfabrik in Düsseldorf was mounted on a truck platform, the “7.5 cm L / 35 Krupp balloon defense cannon” was mounted on a vehicle, field tripod or center pivot tripod 6.5 cm anti-balloon cannon L / 35 Ehrhardt system on truck platform or field tripod. Occasionally the 7.5 cm M 15 mountain howitzer was also used for anti-aircraft defense.

Organization of technical artillery

The technical artillery comprised the artillery equipment and the artillery engineers. The most important tasks of the artillery equipment system were the production and procurement of the gun material indispensable for the tasks of the artillery, the small arms, the edged weapons and the necessary ammunition. It was also a matter of administering and maintaining all material insofar as it was under the care of the artillery equipment.

The artillery equipment institutions included:

  • The artillery arsenal in Vienna with the artillery equipment factory (artillery production facility), the artillery equipment depot (magazine for all materials stored here in the arsenal ), the artillery equipment department (provision of supervisory staff for workshops and magazines) and the takeover commission. In terms of administration, the Imperial and Royal Army Museum was also part of the artillery arsenal. (This is the forerunner of today's Army History Museum, which is still in the same place.)
  • The ammunition factory and the artillery depot near Wiener Neustadt , as well as the powder factories in Blumenau and Stein near Laibach
  • The artillery depots
  • The artillery depots

The staff assigned to the institutions consisted of the artillery engineers, the artillery officers and the artillery crew.

Designations of rank of engineers and civil servants

rank Correspondence
Artillery general engineer Major general
Chief Artillery Engineer 1st class Colonel
Senior artillery engineer 2nd class Lieutenant colonel
Senior artillery engineer 3rd class major
Artillery engineer Captain
Artillery engineer assistant First lieutenant
rank Correspondence
1st class artillery officer Colonel
2nd class artillery officer Lieutenant colonel
Artillery Manager major
1st class artillery equipment officer Captain
Artillery equipment officer 2nd class Captain
3rd class artillery equipment officer First lieutenant
Artillery accessory lieutenant

Artillery officers and artillery equipment officers who had completed the advanced artillery course at the Technical Military Academy were promoted to artillery engineers . These were used exclusively in the factories and by the takeover commission. The group of artillery officers consisted largely of former artillery NCOs who had completed preparatory training in the artillery arsenal. They were used as managers of the artillery depots and as fireworks masters in the laboratories.

The artillery team consisted of:

  • NCOs as fireworkers
  • Platoon leaders and corporals - from 1st and 2nd class masters in the fireworks or platoon leader rank,
  • as well as from upper and lower gun gunners.

The NCOs formed the supervisory staff in the magazines and laboratories, the masters directed and supervised the workshops.

Personal arming of the artillery personnel

7 cm mountain cannon M 99 in use in the high mountains
Field and mountain artillery
  • Cavalry officer's saber

for officers and ensigns

  • Pioneer saber M.1862

for gun foremen, upper and lower gunners, upper and lower gunners (except those who were deployed with cavalry batteries or cavalry ammunition columns ), regimental smiths, regiment fitters, regiment saddlers, regimental wagons, platoon leaders, corporals and trumpeters of the mountain batteries and the accounting assistant of the mountain division.

  • Cavalry saber

For fireworkers, non-commissioned accounting officers and court smiths (with the exception of those assigned to the mounted batteries and cavalry ammunition columns), platoon leaders, staff chiefs, corporals, assistants and trumpeters (with the exception of those assigned to the mounted battery divisions, cavalry ammunition columns and mountain batteries).

  • Cavalry saber M.1877

for teams of the cavalry battery divisions and the cavalry ammunition columns.

  • revolver

for officers, ensigns, fireworkers, platoon leaders, corporals and trumpeters. Furthermore also for the operating team at the mounted batteries and the cavalry ammunition columns - gun foreman , foreman, upper and lower gunner .

  • Rifles (without bayonet)

for the upper and lower gunners and for the upper and lower gunners assigned as drivers of the troop train of the divisional and corps artillery regiments as well as the mounted battery divisions; also for the gun foreman, foreman, upper and lower gunner of the division and corps ammunition parks, including the cavalry ammunition columns.

Fortress artillery
  • Cavalry officer's saber

for officers and ensigns

  • Pioneer saber

for gunsmiths, financial assistants, trumpeters, gunners and bandage wearers

  • Cavalry saber

for fireworkers and accounting officers, as well as the non-commissioned officers deployed in the mobile siege troops and in the horse drawn trains.

  • Rifle (with bayonet)

for platoon leaders, corporals, foremen, upper and lower gunners. This does not apply to NCOs equipped with a saber.

Technical artillery
  • Cavalry saber

Fireworkers

  • Pioneer saber

for all other NCOs (masters) and the equipment gunners. Rifles with bayonets were only issued in the event of war.

  • Sword M.1890

Artillery technical officers

Adjustment of the firing troops

Artillery shako acc. kuk mounting regulations

The shako served as headgear , which was only allowed to be used in peacetime (with the exception of the riding batteries). It was used in parades, funeral ceremonies, alarms, as well as in orderly and inspection services; out of service: on Sundays and public holidays or on command. The field and fortress artillery did not wear a rose on the shako, but a black (red for trumpeters) horsehair bush. This was 28 centimeters long and placed from the tip of the shako to the left side of the ear and fixed with a so-called curb chain. The double-headed eagle was somewhat smaller than that of the infantry; The brigade number of the field artillery and the battalion or regiment number of the fortress artillery were stamped in Pakfong (nickel silver) on a breastplate. In contrast, the shako of the technical artillery was the same as that of the infantry, the breastplate on the double-headed eagle showed a "T". All brass parts of the crew chako were gold-plated in the officer's chako.

The field cap consisted of light blue (in the technical artillery of blue-gray) cloth with scaled down tunic buttons. The cut was the same as that of the infantry.

Platoon commander of the artillery in his field blouse

The tunic was made of dark brown cloth with cuffs, collar, shoulder pads and armpit clips in a scarlet equalizing color . Officer's and crew's tunic was made in the same cut as the tunic of the German infantry. There were also blouses made of brown cloth with red parolis for officers and men. The officers also had a corresponding passepoil.

In the field artillery, trousers and shoes for men and officers consisted of light blue boot trousers and boots as prescribed for the dragoons . Buckle spores were used for this.

The fortress artillery wore light blue infantry palatons with 5.3 centimeters wide, scarlet lampasses on the side seams, as well as ankle boots.

The technical artillery also had pantaloons in the infantry cut, but of blue-gray cloth and without lampasses. Half-boots were also required here.

A special piece of adjustment for the artillery was the so-called “gun attachment cord” for the gun foreman and foreman. It was made of red sheep's wool and consisted of several cords with five push-balls. It was always to be worn on top of the garment.

Adjustment of the technical artillery

Artillery engineers

The artillery engineers wore a hat made of black felt as headgear, the brim of which was bent up on the left and right. The edge of the brim was provided for the senior officer ranks (XI., X., and IX. Rank classes) with a 5.3 centimeter wide border made of black silk ribbon. Officials with the rank of staff officer (rank class VII, VII, and VI) wore a 7.6 centimeter wide gold braid with crossed designs on the brim. The field cap was the same as that of the infantry officers.

The artillery engineers' tunic was made of dark brown cloth and was buttoned in two rows with eight smooth white buttons. Cuffs and passepoils were scarlet in color. The blouse was made of dark brown sheep's wool with red parolis.

The engineers were so-called officials with portepee and wore distinctive stars as badges of rank according to their military rank. Engineers with the rank of staff officer also had a 3.3 centimeter wide border on the collar and sleeves, corresponding to the hat brim border. Due to the white buttons on the skirt, the borders were made in gold and the distinctive stars in silver.

The pantaloons were made of blue-gray cloth with scarlet passepoils. The coat corresponded to that of the infantry officers, but with a scarlet passepoilierung and parolis.

Artillery officers

The artillery officers were officers without portepee and therefore differed from the artillery engineers. They wore the same face-top hat, but only a black silk ribbon around the brim for all ranks. The top of the hat was trimmed with ostrich feathers. The field cap corresponded to that of the infantry officers. The tunic was the same as that of the artillery engineers, but with yellow buttons. According to the regulations for military officials without portepee, the badges of distinction were not stars, but small gold rosettes for lower officials. For the XI. Class one, the X. Class two and for the IX. Class three such rosettes. The VIII. VII. And VI. The rank class had a 3.3 centimeter wide patterned gold border and one, two or three silver rosettes on the collar and sleeves.

The rest of the adjustment was the same as for the artillery engineers.

use

Field artillery

7.5 cm mountain howitzer

At the beginning of the war in 1914, the active units of the field and mountain artillery were equipped with gun material that could well be described as state-of-the-art. The technical nature of the gun material made it possible to use the types already available at the outbreak of war without any spectacular changes until the end of the war. However, since no very large reserves of material had been created for reasons of economy, the agricultural country Austria-Hungary was busy to the limits of its capabilities to compensate for the very high losses of field artillery from the fighting against Russia shortly after the start of the war. After Italy - not surprisingly on the side of the Allies  - entered the war on May 23, 1915, almost nothing was left of artillery for this theater of war. At the Cima Busazza ( Adamello-Presanella group ), a 6.5 cm M 61 mountain cannon with a bronze barrel did a good job. Guns were urgently needed on the highest peaks of the high mountains and 300 Russian prisoners of war dragged two mountain howitzers to the Ortler summit with great effort. The immense need for ammunition on the Isonzo front and in Russia was noticeable in the high mountains. A real artillery fight did not take place here, since the procurement of ammunition for the guns set up in the most impassable areas of the high mountains was associated with the greatest difficulties and the precious shells were saved as long as possible. In the high mountains it was seldom possible and often not necessary to place more than one gun.

Fortress artillery

The fortress artillery served to operate the fortress guns and searchlights in the permanent places ( fortresses ); on the other hand, it was their task to shoot fortresses and forts ready for attack during sieges with heavy and super-heavy equipment. Not all regiments were also housed in fortresses; Not a small number of the units were only partially active, because in peacetime, for reasons of cost, one did not see the need for a complete garrison for the fortress and therefore the heavy artillery was dispensed with. In the course of the First World War , the fortress artillery was adapted several times to the requirements and equipped with the necessary improved material.

Peace target of the fortress artillery 1914:
Fortress artillery regiments 1–3 each with 61 officers and 1261 men
Fortress artillery regiment 4-6 each with 43 officers and 844 men
Fortress artillery battalion 1–10 four officers and 98 men per battery
Fortress artillery - gun material (target stock 1914)
Fortress artillery regiment No. 1 - "Kaiser Franz-Joseph"
A battalion with two 12-inch mortar batteries and two 6-inch howitzer batteries Three battalions, each with a 24 cm mortar battery and three 15 cm howitzer batteries
A battalion with four companies as fortress garrisons
Fortress artillery regiment No. 2 - "Eduard von Beschi"
Two battalions, each with two 30.5 cm mortar batteries and two 15 cm howitzer batteries A battalion with a 24 cm mortar battery and three 15 cm howitzer batteries
A battalion with four cannon batteries Two battalions with four companies each as fortress garrisons
Fortress artillery regiment No. 3 - "Franz Ulrich Kinksky, Prince of Vichnitz and Tettau"
A battalion with a 24 cm mortar battery and three 15 cm howitzer batteries A battalion with two 12-inch mortar batteries and two 6-inch howitzer batteries
A battalion with two 24 cm mortar batteries and two 15 cm howitzer batteries A battalion with four cannon batteries
A battalion with four companies as factory crews
Fortress artillery regiment No. 4 - "Graf Colloredo-Mels and Wallsee"
Nine battalions with four companies each as fortress garrisons
Fortress artillery regiment No. 5 - "General Theodor von Rouvroy"
Seven battalions with four companies each Two battalions with two companies each as fortress garrisons
Fortress Artillery Regiment No. 6 - "Adolf Kollarz"
A battalion with a 24 cm mortar battery, two heavy 15 cm howitzer batteries and a cannon battery
Fortress Artillery Battalion No. 1
Four companies of fortress garrisons A reserve company, a marching company
Fortress Artillery Battalion No. 2
Four companies as fortress garrisons
Fortress artillery battalion No. 3
Four companies of fortress garrisons
Fortress Artillery Battalion No. 4
Four companies of fortress garrisons
Fortress Artillery Battalion No. 5
Four marching companies garrisoned for the fortress Four reserve companies garrisoned for the fortress
Two mortar batteries 30.5 cm Two heavy 15 cm howitzer batteries
Fortress artillery battalion No. 6
Four companies of fortress garrisons
Fortress Artillery Battalion No. 7
Four companies of fortress garrisons
Fortress artillery battalion No. 8
Two mortar batteries 30.5 cm Two heavy 15 cm howitzer batteries
Fortress Artillery Battalion No. 9
Four cannon batteries
Fortress artillery battalion No. 10
Two 12-inch mortar batteries Two cannon batteries

During the mobilization in 1914, the following gun equipment for the active units emerged:

Fortress Artillery Regiment No. 1
Two batteries 30.5 cm siege mortar M 11 (motorized) Three batteries 24 cm mortar M 98 (motorized)
Seven batteries of 15 cm M 99 howitzers (stringed) Four batteries of 12 cm M 80 cannons (stringed)
Fortress artillery regiment No. 2
Four batteries 30.5 cm siege mortar M 11 (motorized) A battery of 24 cm M 98 mortar (motorized)
Seven batteries of 15 cm M 99 howitzers (stringed) Four batteries of 12 cm M 80 cannons (stringed)
Fortress artillery regiment No. 3
Two batteries 30.5 cm siege mortar M 11 (motorized) Three batteries 24 cm mortar M 98 (motorized)
Seven batteries of 15 cm M 99 howitzers (stringed) Four batteries of 12 cm M 80 cannons (stringed)
Fortress Artillery Regiment No. 4
Three batteries 30.5 cm siege mortar M 11 (motorized)
Seven batteries of 15 cm M 99 howitzers (stringed) Four batteries of 12 cm M 80 cannons (stringed)
Fortress Artillery Battalion No. 5
Two batteries 30.5 cm siege mortar M 11 (motorized) Two batteries of 15 cm M 99 howitzers (stringed)
Fortress artillery battalion No. 8
Two batteries 30.5 cm siege mortar M 11 (motorized) Two batteries of 15 cm M 99 howitzers (equipped)
Fortress Artillery Battalion No. 9
Four batteries of 12 cm cannons (drawn)
Fortress artillery battalion No. 10
A battery of 24 cm M 98 mortar (motorized) One battery 24 cm M 98 mortar (stringed)
Two batteries of 12 cm M 80 cannons (stringed)

First World War

Already at the beginning of the war it became clear that the artillery was reaching its limits in all respects. This affected the number of guns as well as the replacement and ammunition production. When a new front opened with the war against Italy in 1915, everything that was still usable was dependent on - including the fortress guns long forgotten in the casemates of the fortresses of the second and third line (such as Theresienstadt or Komorn ) of type M 61 and M 61/95 on wooden post mounts, which experienced a second spring on this front.

In 1916 and 1918 a reorganization was carried out. In April 1918 the inventory was:

  • 132 field artillery regiments
  • 66 heavy field artillery regiments
  • 68 mountain artillery departments
  • 12 cavalry field artillery regiments
  • 12 heavy cavalry field artillery regiments

In the course of the war, the fortress artillery (renamed "Heavy Artillery" from 1917) was equipped with new and more powerful guns. The 38 cm M 16 howitzer , the 42 cm M 14 and M 16 howitzer , the 24 cm long-barreled M 16 cannon , as well as two examples of the 35 cm ship cannon (one of them with the name " Georg ")

That was reinforced:

  • FA Rgt. Nr.2 by the 3rd marching company with a 42 cm howitzer and 8th marching company with a 24 cm cannon
  • FA Rgt. Nr. 2 by the 21st field company with a 42 cm howitzer
  • FA Rgt. Nr. 4 by two independent companies, each with a 42 cm howitzer
  • FA Rgt. Nr. 7 (newly established) by 1st and 2nd reserve companies each with a 38 cm howitzer and two reserve companies each with a 35 cm ship cannon.

According to the equipment scheme presented in autumn 1917, the heavy artillery should be structured and equipped as follows:

Heavy artillery regiments No. 1 and No. 6

  • I. Department
1. Battery: 38 cm howitzer
2. Battery: 38 cm howitzer
3. Battery: 24 cm cannon
4. Battery: 24 cm cannon
  • II. Department
1. Battery: 12-inch mortar
2. Battery: 12-inch mortar
3. Battery: 15 cm car howitzer M 15
4. Battery: 15 cm autocannon
  • III. Department
1. Battery: 38 cm howitzer
2. Battery: 38 cm howitzer
3. Battery: 24 cm cannon
4. Battery: 24 cm cannon
  • IV. Department
1. Battery: 12-inch mortar
2. Battery: 12-inch mortar
3. Battery: 15 cm car howitzer M 15
4. Battery: 15 cm autocannon

Heavy artillery regiments No. 2, No. 3, No. 7, No. 9 and No. 10

  • I. Department
1. Battery: 12-inch mortar
2. Battery: 12-inch mortar
3. Battery: 15 cm car howitzer M 15
4. Battery: 15 cm autocannon
  • II. Department
1. Battery: 12-inch mortar
2. Battery: 12-inch mortar
3. Battery: 15 cm car howitzer M 15
4. Battery: 15 cm autocannon
  • III. Department
1. Battery: 12-inch mortar
2. Battery: 12-inch mortar
3. Battery: 15 cm car howitzer M 15
4. Battery: 15 cm autocannon
  • IV. Department
1. Battery: 12-inch mortar
2. Battery: 12-inch mortar
3. Battery: 15 cm car howitzer M 15
4. Battery: 15 cm autocannon

Heavy artillery regiments No. 11, No. 12, No. 13 and No. 14

  • I. Department
1. Battery: 15 cm M14 howitzer
2nd battery: 15 cm howitzer M 14
3rd battery: 15 cm M14 howitzer
4. Battery: 10.4 cm field cannon M 15
  • II. Department
1. Battery: 15 cm M14 howitzer
2nd battery: 15 cm howitzer M 14
3rd battery: 15 cm M14 howitzer
4. Battery: 10.4 cm field cannon M 15
  • III. Department
1. Battery: 15 cm M14 howitzer
2nd battery: 15 cm howitzer M 14
3rd battery: 15 cm M14 howitzer
4. Battery: 10.4 cm field cannon M 15
  • IV. Department
1. Battery: 15 cm M14 howitzer
2nd battery: 15 cm howitzer M 14
3rd battery: 15 cm M14 howitzer
4. Battery: 10.4 cm field cannon M 15

Heavy artillery regiments No. 4, No. 5 and No. 8

Equipped with the existing coastal guns ( 35 cm marine cannon L / 45 M.15 and coastal howitzer 42 cm )

Reorganization of the fortress artillery

42 cm M 14 siege howitzer in the Canaltal, 1917

At the beginning of 1918 the previously existing brigade unit for the fortress artillery was given up and fourteen heavy artillery regiments were created instead. In addition to the original equipment, some of the regiments were also equipped with the heaviest guns. Regiments No. 4 and No. 5 were no longer deployed, No. 8 only with two companies.

Regiments No. 11-14 were deployed with stationary material to defend the permanent places ( Cracow , Przemyśl , Trient , Trieste , Pola , Cattaro , Castelnuovo , Komorn , Peterwardein , etc.).

  • Heavy artillery regiment No. 1
1st, 2nd, 9th, and 10th companies each with a 38 cm howitzer
3rd and 4th company, each with a 24 cm long barrel cannon (gun no .: 1 and 2)
  • Heavy artillery regiment No. 3
9th, 10th, 13th and 14th companies, each with a 42 cm howitzer
  • Heavy artillery regiment No. 6
1st, 2nd and 9th companies each with a 38 cm howitzer
The 3rd Company was to be equipped with a 24 cm long barrel cannon (Gun No. 3), but this cannon was no longer delivered.
  • Heavy artillery regiment No. 8
(only) 13th and 14th companies, each with a 42 cm howitzer
  • Heavy artillery regiment No. 10
9th and 10th companies each with a 42 cm howitzer

Gun types in the Austro-Hungarian Army

  • Cannons = barrel length from 20 to 40 caliber length with flat fire up to 10% max. increase
  • Mortar = barrel length from 6 to 10 caliber lengths with steep fire up to 70% max. increase
  • Howitzers = barrel length from 10 to 16 caliber lengths for flat and steep fire

Gun types

The following types of stationary and mobile guns were used by the Austro-Hungarian fortress artillery between 1914 and 1918 in the permanent positions. The guns marked with * were turret guns in rotating armored domes.

After the end of the First World War, a large part of the remaining gun material came into the hands of the so-called "successor states" and was used there for decades. Even the German Wehrmacht used (among other things) the 30.5 cm Skoda mortar in World War II .

Heavy artillery preserved

Bucharest Military Museum
  • 42 cm coastal howitzer L / 15 M 16 (pipe and bedding only)
  • 38 cm siege howitzer M 16 (complete gun No: 2)
  • 30.5 cm M 11 mortar and 30.5 cm M 16 mortar
Army History Museum in Vienna
  • 38 cm siege howitzer M 16 (complete gun No: 6, but without barrel wagon)
  • 24 cm mortar M 98
War Museum Rovereto
  • 30.5 cm mortar M 11
Army Museum Belgrade
  • 30.5 cm mortar M 11

Uniformity

  • Field artillery (foreman in parade)

  • Fortress artillery (officer / parade until 1908)

  • Fortress artillery (officer / parade after 1908)

  • Field artillery (officer / parade until 1910)

  • Field artillery (officer / parade after 1910)

  • Artillery Equipment Official

  • Shako for staff officers

  • Tunic field artillery / officer until 1908

  • Tunic field artillery / officer after 1908

  • Tunic artillery engineer

  • Gun tunic of the artillery staff

Museum reception

Collection of various types of artillery from the First World War in the Army History Museum

The history of the Austro-Hungarian artillery is documented in detail in the Army History Museum in Vienna. From 1864, Austria had artillery that was superior to the enemy gun types in terms of both shooting precision and maneuverability, which is illustrated by the M 1863 field cannon on display . Also on display is the famous "Ortler gun", a 7 cm M 1899 mountain cannon, which was deployed in the Ortler summit zone at 3,850 meters and thus formed the highest gun emplacement in Europe. Particularly noteworthy is the artillery collection of various calibers from the First World War, which is crowned by a fully preserved M 1916 howitzer (caliber 38 cm). The artillery collection of the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum is one of the most famous in the world in terms of its size, completeness and state of preservation.

Sources and literature

  • kuk adjustment regulation (edition from 1912)
  • Austro-Hungarian War Ministry : Dislocation and division of the Austro-Hungarian Army, the Austro-Hungarian Navy, the Imperial and Royal Landwehr and the Imperial and Royal Landwehr. In: Seidel's small army scheme. Seidel & Sohn, Vienna 1913, ZDB -ID 2361602-7 .
  • Teaching material and service regulations of the Austro-Hungarian Army in the war archive in Vienna.
  • Moritz Ritter von Brunner: The permanent fortification. Published for the Austro-Hungarian military training institutions and for self-instruction for officers of all weapons. 7th completely revised edition. LW Seidel u. Sohn, Vienna 1909.
  • Łukasz Chrzanowski: Artyleria Austro-Węgierska 1860–1890. FORT, Przemyśl 2008, ISBN 978-83-923657-7-8 , ( Architectura et ars militaris 16).
  • Erwin Anton Grestenberger: Imperial and Royal fortifications in Tyrol and Carinthia 1860 - 1918. Verlag Österreich ua, Vienna 2000, ISBN 3-7046-1558-7 .
  • M. Christian Ortner : The Austro-Hungarian Artillery from 1867 to 1918. Verlag Militaria, Vienna 2007, ISBN 978-3-902526-12-0 .
  • M. Christian Ortner: The 30.5 cm mortar. Austria-Hungary's famous siege gun. Verlag Edition Winkler-Hermaden, Vienna 2017, ISBN 978-3-9504274-7-9 .
  • M. Christian Ortner: The 7.5 cm mountain cannon. The most modern mountain gun of the Austro-Hungarian Army in World War I , Edition Winkler-Hermaden, Schleinbach 2019, ISBN 978-3-9504720-0-4

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ in Germany called foot artillery
  2. ^ Manfried Rauchsteiner , Manfred Litscher (ed.): The Army History Museum in Vienna. Graz, Vienna 2000 pp. 93–95.

Web links

Commons : War Press Headquarters Albums 1914-1918 (Artillery)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files