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Prime Mover

The Italians made only limited use of the Skoda 75mm L/13 gun in North Africa.

Does anyone know what vehicle(s) they used to tow it?
 

FrancoFB

Member
i don't think that the 75/13 can be mechanical towed, if they were sent, for some strange reason, probably they were moved loaded on truck
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Cappellano states the 75/13 wasn't used in A.S. (all fronts except A.S., p.63). It was used in A.O.I. [corrected]

Autocarri leggeri were at times substituted for mule transport. The pictures I have seen all show the howitzer carried in the bed of the truck.

Pista! Jeff
 
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jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Brain cramp on my part. The information I posted was for the 75/13, I just got 75/18 into my head when I was typing for some reason.

Pista! Jeff
 

1089maul

Member
Jeff,
You are correct with Cappellano’s quote but in Finazzer and Riccio’s Italian artillery of WW2, on page 60, they have an endnote stating that it is controversial as to whether the 75/13 was used in North Africa. It also states that Pignato’s book L’obice 75/13 does not mention Nort Africa. However, they cite Storia dell’artigliera Italiana (No author), pages 600 and 601 stating that some pieces served with 8th Army Corps Artillery Regiment and with the Trento Division during the battle of El Alamein. The pictures shown in Finazzer and Riccio‘s book show the 73/13 in other theatres of war being conveyed on animals or pulled by animals. The text does mention that tests were conducted with army tractors and in particular the Fiat OCI 708 CM mountain tractor.
David, not sure if this helps you!
Bob
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
David will need to decide the value of the information. From a quick check.

None of my OBs for Alamein lists any 75/13 how. in the 8º ragg. art. d'armata (I am assuming that is the 8º Army Corps art. Reg. in Bob's post). In fact I would be very surprised to read that such a howitzer would be in an army artillery unit given its very short range.

Nor does the 46º regg. art. in «Trento» include any 75/13s (or as reinforcing).

In fact, my OBs for Alamein show a distinct lack of any 75/13s in the entire army at Alamein.

I also checked my book on the Libyan units. No 75/13s in those units. All 65/17s and 77/28s.

The 75/13 howitzer is a divisional piece and none of the divisions sent to A.S. had this type of gun. If some of these guns were sent, they were sent separately as an independent unit. That begs the question is why would they be sent? What requirement would they have been solving? Even «La Spezia» that arrived after Alamein had 65/17s.

Just my thoughts. I wouldn't chase this until someone offers some solid evidence.

Pista! Jeff
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
I can't do much with that info without a cite. L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000, vol 2, tomo II (p.138) states that the IV gruppo/46º art. at the end of March 1942 was 75/27. The same for October 1942 in Terza offensiva (tomo I, p.433). Having a single battery of different guns in a gruppo doesn't ring true.

As you have a battery number (which is odd in itself), I though maybe G.a.F. Checked my G.a.F. book and no 75/13 used by the G.a.F.
 

FrancoFB

Member
I've seen the 75/13 in NA on this forum, the thread of the artillery in NA a recovery from the old forum
but i don't think this can be true.

But the La Spezia with 65/17 as divisional artillery intrigue me, for what hell give a relative elite division that old piece, the 75/13 was much better w/o talking of the 75/18
 
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