Page 2 - Canon de montagne de 65 Mle 1906

guns were given to the polish army and even used by the Germans in WW II [Gebirgskanone 221(f)].
The oddness and, also, the uniqueness of the design (see below) was due to the original specifications: the carriage had to absorb as much of the recoil as possible but should be kept as light in weight as possible and capable of being dismantled and mule-packed.
The missing trail was build with hinged sides resembling an A-piece, the crosspiece being a spring, so that when the gun fired, the trail could expand and absorb some of the recoil forces. The trail was spilt in three sections, hinged to each other and to the axletree in front. The two front sections were hinged together by the gun cradle trunnions. If necessary, as seen in your exhibition gun, the rear section of the trail could be removed and the gun could still be fired.
This gun was manufactured by the french state works and it’s designer, Colonel Ducrest, was the key to this complicated system.
© Dr. Balliet - 2 - www.artillerie.info