Krupp 7.5 cm Model 1903
Encyclopedia
The Krupp 7.5 cm Model 1903 was a field gun used by a number of European armies in both World War I
and World War II
. The Model 1903 was a "stock gun" from Krupp
that could be supplied to customers on short notice with minor alterations to suit the customers needs. Between 1903 and 1908 Romania purchased 360 guns and used them until 1942, although by this time they had become obsolete.
The Model 1903 was also bought by Denmark
and the Netherlands
and used in World War II. The Model 1903 also formed the basis for the Type 38 75 mm Field Gun
used by Japan
. In Danish service it was known as the 03 L/30 and doesn't appear to have been modified in any significant way before World War II.
The Dutch bought some 204 of the slightly earlier Kanone M.02/03 and purchased a production-license as well. 120 appear to have been manufactured in the Netherlands, where it was known as the 7-veld. During the Twenties, the Dutch rebuilt their guns to increase their elevation. At least 16 were modified for motorized traction, presumably with steel wheels and pneumatic tires, for service with the Light Division. Gander and Chamberlain claim there were three almost identical versions, the M 02/04 vd, OM 04 and NM 10, but this has not been confirmed. The Germans designated these guns as the 7.5 cm Feldkanone 243(h) after the Battle of the Netherlands
.
Danish guns were known in German service as the 7.5 cm Feldkanone 240(d).
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Model 1903 was a "stock gun" from Krupp
Krupp
The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
that could be supplied to customers on short notice with minor alterations to suit the customers needs. Between 1903 and 1908 Romania purchased 360 guns and used them until 1942, although by this time they had become obsolete.
The Model 1903 was also bought by Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and used in World War II. The Model 1903 also formed the basis for the Type 38 75 mm Field Gun
Type 38 75 mm Field Gun
The was a 1905 German design which was purchased by the Empire of Japan as the standard field gun of the Imperial Japanese Army at the end of the Russo-Japanese War.-History and development:...
used by Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. In Danish service it was known as the 03 L/30 and doesn't appear to have been modified in any significant way before World War II.
The Dutch bought some 204 of the slightly earlier Kanone M.02/03 and purchased a production-license as well. 120 appear to have been manufactured in the Netherlands, where it was known as the 7-veld. During the Twenties, the Dutch rebuilt their guns to increase their elevation. At least 16 were modified for motorized traction, presumably with steel wheels and pneumatic tires, for service with the Light Division. Gander and Chamberlain claim there were three almost identical versions, the M 02/04 vd, OM 04 and NM 10, but this has not been confirmed. The Germans designated these guns as the 7.5 cm Feldkanone 243(h) after the Battle of the Netherlands
Battle of the Netherlands
The Battle of the Netherlands was part of Case Yellow , the German invasion of the Low Countries and France during World War II. The battle lasted from 10 May 1940 until 14 May 1940 when the main Dutch forces surrendered...
.
Danish guns were known in German service as the 7.5 cm Feldkanone 240(d).