240mm Howitzer M1918

The 240mm Howitzer M1918 was a license produced version of a larger Schneider design, and was an unsatisfactory design that was only in service in the inter-war period.

The M1918 was developed from a larger calibre Schneider weapon, originally produced for the Russians. During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 the Japanese had used 280mm howitzers to bombard Port Arthur. After the war ended the Russians ordered a similar weapon from Schneider, and this was delivered in 1911. More were built for the French Army during the First World War, where they were examined by the Americans after their entry into the war. The Americans decided to build a 240mm version, and asked Schneider to provide the design and help putting it into production. A massive order for 2,627 barrels and 1,214 mounts was placed, and it was to enter production early in 1918. This proved to be very over-ambitious, and only one had been completed by the end of 1918. This first weapon blew up when firing its first test short, further delaying production. Unsurprisingly the number on order was massively reduced, and eventually 330 were completed.

The M1918 was a heavy, cumbersome weapon. It had to be split into several loads to be transferred on wagons, although this was later reduced to two more modern wagons, one for the barrel and cradle and one for the rest of the carriage. It had to be embedded on a heavy firing platform when in use, and took some time to assemble using a system of hoists and ropes.

The M1918 underwent a series of trials in 1924-25, and performed rather badly. It was inaccurate, slow to assemble and generally unsatisfactory. The conclusion was that a totally new gun would be needed, but this was unacceptable in the mid 1920s, and so the M1918 remained in service, with the special GHQ reserve artillery units. 144 were still safe to fire in 1940.

The M1918 was eventually replaced by the 240mm Howitzer M1. Work on a new carriage for the M1918 began in 1934, was it was decided that there was no point mounting the unsatisfactory gun on this new carriage. The project was revived in 1939, and in 1940 it was decided to produce a totally new gun. This eventually led to the 240mm Howitzer M1, which was standardized in May 1943.

One attempt was made to mount the M1918 on a vehicle, producing the T92 240mm HMC. An order was placed for four pilot vehicles in 1945, and one was actually completed. Tests suggested it would have been useful against Japanese bunkers, but the project was cancelled at the end of the war.

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