WW1 Artillery

**Csargo** · 05-15-2006, 22:16

I've read somewhere that in WW1 that the soldiers could tell what kind of shell was being fired at them by the sound of the falling shell can anyone give me some information on this?

**Alexanderofmacedon** · 05-15-2006, 22:26

No, not really, but I do know a bit about WW2 artillery.

**Redleg** · 05-15-2006, 22:41

One can learn the difference between the sound of a mortar from that of a cannon. There is a minor difference between the two in the sound that they make. Primarily because the Mortar round is fired at a high angle - where most cannon rounds were fired at a low angle.

The different size shells can also have a different sound travelling through the air based upon the displacement of air. But its rare for most to be able to tell in my opinion.

However the primary way of telling what they of shell was being fired was the type of explosion that happened when the round landed.

To get a more specific answer - you will need to ask a more spefic question.

I for one could tell the difference between an Mortar round and a 155mm round from the sound it made traveling in the air - if I was able to hear the round - often you could not tell unless you were underneath the tragetory of the round. Which I was only able to do if my observation point was within the tragetory of the weapons. Not often done in peacetime because of safety factors inherient in training.

However most of the time - I was able to tell from the type of burst it had when it landed. Same goes for 105mm rounds.

**Csargo** · 05-16-2006, 00:12

I don't know how they tell different shell size but I was thinking about the book All Quiet on the Western Front which they could tell when a gas shell was being fired or like 17in shell (I'm pretty sure thats not the right measurement) like that but I'm not sure.

**Redleg** · 05-16-2006, 01:17

Originally Posted by Csar

I don't know how they tell different shell size but I was thinking about the book All Quiet on the Western Front which they could tell when a gas shell was being fired or like 17in shell (I'm pretty sure thats not the right measurement) like that but I'm not sure.

Gas canisters and smoke rounds give a discint bursting that is different then the burst of a point fuze or a time fuze on a explosive round.

17 inch was a rare artillery shell - several big rail guns were used to limited effect more as terror weapons then anything else.