Schneider ammunition wagon for howitzers

The Schneider ammunition wagon for 120mm howitzer

The ammunition wagon of the Schneider 120mm howitzer (O.C. 120 N° 2) was composed by the limber and the caisson. It was drawn by a team of six horses. Both the limber and the caisson were made entirely of steel, with the exception of wheels and poles. The gun and the wagon limbers were the same, but the compartments of limbers and caissons carrying with torpedo shells differed from those carrying shrapnel and were weightier.

The limber was composed by the chest, the kit holders, the axle with two wheels, the pole, the knapsack-rack with grid to carry the gunners luggage, and miscellaneous hardware, like stakes, picketing-ropes, etc.

The limber had both spring draught-loops and a spring limber hook. It was seated for three gunners. Beyond 10 rounds, it contained the charges, tools and spare parts.

The caisson was made like a tip-cart, so that it could be tilted into a vertical position beside the gun. This entailed carrying the ammunition vertically when travelling. The bottom of the wagon body was armoured and the bullets-proof doors opened outwards, giving a wide protected area for the three men who were employed in preparing and supplying ammunition. The steel has the same thickness as the gun-shield, namely 3.2 mm. An armoured observatory was carried on one of the ammunition wagons.

Each round was contained in a separate tube of bronze fixed in the ammunition box. In order to admit a quick handling, the ammunition was carried in a horizontal position. Beyond 24 rounds, it contained 8 cases containing 3 charges each, cartridges each, boxes, weapons, tools, and complements.

The howitzer adopted by the Serbian Army (O.C. 120 N° 6) was very similar, but was heavier, having a thicker shield (4 mm).

The Schneider ammunition wagon for 150mm howitzer

The ammunition wagon of the Schneider 150mm howitzer was composed by the limber and the caisson and was similar to the wagon used for the 120mm howitzer. But in order to reduce the weight of the howitzer in marching order, the gun limber had not the ammunition box, but was composed by a simple chassis with hook, balance, and shaft to join the howitzer.

Both the gun limber and the ammunition wagon were used by the Serbian and Romanian Army. In 1907 the Bulgarian Army bought 72 of these wagons for its 150mm howitzers, recently modernized. However the 150mm Schneider howitzers used by Bulgarian Army had a different gun limber, which carried 5 rounds. It weighted 393 kg empty and 641 kg loaded.

		120 N° 2		120 N° 6	150 N° 5
		shrapnel	H.E. shell		shrapnel		H.E. shell
gun limber	empty :	541 kg		572 kg	300 kg
	ammunition :	239 kg		239 kg
	loaded :	780 kg		811 kg
wagon limber	empty :	516 kg		541 kg	550 kg	590 kg
	ammunition :	239 kg		239 kg	360 kg	360 kg
	loaded :	755 kg		780 kg	910 kg	950 kg
wagon body	empty :	567 kg	597 kg	718 kg	720 kg	780 kg
	ammunition :	573 kg	573 kg	573 kg	720 kg	720 kg
	loaded :	1140 kg	1170 kg	1291 kg	1440 kg	1500 kg
wagon	empty :	1083 kg	1113 kg	1259 kg	1460 kg	1540 kg
	ammunition :	812 kg	812 kg	812 kg	1080 kg	1080 kg
	loaded :	1895 kg	1925 kg	2071 kg	2350 kg	2450 kg
armoured observatory :		34 kg		36 kg
armour	thickness :	3.2 mm		4 mm	4 mm
rounds	on the limber :	10		10	8
	on the caisson :	24		24	16

120mm field howitzer ammunition wagon
gun limber	ammunition wagon