The 155mm Howitzer by Schneider, was the principal heavy howitzer being used by the French army during WWI. Due to a shortage of American medium and heavy artillery, large numbers of these guns were purchased, mainly from the French. Capable of firing a 95-pound shell a distance of 1,440 meters, at two rounds per minute, the gun itself proved to be an excellent piece of weaponry.

The soundness of the design was soon evidenced by the fact that the Americans adapted it, and equipped their Expeditionary Army in Europe—the copy was called M1917A1. “Calamity Jane,” a US 11th Field Artillery 155mm howitzer is credited with the last U.S.-fired shot of the war, at 10:59 a.m., November 11, 1918.

The 60-pounder Mk I field gun was first designed The Elswick Ordnance Company built in 1904. It became the mainstay of British medium artillery during the First World War, being operated by batteries of the Royal Garrison Artillery and used mainly for counter-battery fire. The gun had a range of 10, 300 yards and fired a 60 pound shell and required a team of 8 horses to tow it, with a maximum of 12 possible in difficult conditions. It was so successful as an artillery weapon, it was still being used in 1944.

The French 75mm field gun, developed in the late 1890s was used in World War I and right into World War II. This gun, commonly known as the French 75, was a great improvement over previously used cannon-type guns. Hydraulic buffers absorbed most of the recoil, so while the barrel of the gun recoiled, the rest of the gun did not. In this way the operator might only have to make a small adjustment before refiring on the target. It could easily deliver 15 aimed rounds per minute.

The French 75 was capable of firing two types of shells to a maximum range of 6,900 meters. The first was a 5.3 kg slightly delayed impact-fused, high explosive; the other a 7.24 kg time-fused shrapnel shell. This shell, packed with 290 lead balls exploded in the air over the target. Later in the war several new shells and fuses were introduced, including a shell that could reach up to 11,000 meters.

The French 75 had introduced a new concept in artillery technology. With its rapid rate of fire, the gun’s accuracy and the lethality of the ammunition, the French 75 was superior to all other regimental field artillery in existence at the time.

The Austrian Skoda 305mm Howitzer siege gun was first fired in anger on the Western front at the start of World War I. It was used to destroy the ring of 12 Belgian fortresses around Liege. The gun was transported in three sections by a 15-ton, model 12 Skoda-Daimler road tractor, it could be assembled and readied to fire in about 50 minutes. The weapon was manned by a crew of 12, and could fire ten rounds an hour.

Two types of shell were used, a heavy armour-piercing shell with a delayed action fuse weighing 384 kg, and a light 287 kg shell fitted with an impact fuse. The light shell was capable of creating a crater 8 meters wide and 8 meters deep, as well as killing exposed infantry up to a distance of 400 meters.