"Goblin Guns"

Taranaki Daily News, 21 September 1940, Page 10

"Goblin Guns"

Limited Eflfectiveness GHELLS from German long-range" guns have been pounding area on the English south-east coast, and British guns have replied. Now it is suggested that the Germans are bombarding London. Germany's "Big Berthas" are spectacular, but there is nothing new in this employment of the expensive highvelocity gun for "moral_ effect." Further, the "life of these expensive weapons is likely to be exceedingly short. The modern big gun is capable of firing a shell weighing a ton a distance of 20 miles, and we have been told, as part of enemy propaganda, that the Germans have "Big Berthas" ("Goblin Guns") which will greatly exceed the 81mile range with small shells attained in the last war, and will fire much heavier ones. Although the "Big Berthas," because of their long range and long barrels, are usually described as giant guns, they are of much smaller calibre than the ordinary big artillery or naval guns. The 16in guns of the Nelson and the Rodney will fire projectiles weighing 2461b 20 miles. The "Big Bertha" of the last war was an 8in gun, invented by Professor Rausenberger, a director of Krupps, and was named after Frau Bertha Krupp von Bohlen, the granddaughter of thefounder of the firm. Its development arose out of a proposal to the German Army Ieaders early in 1915 that big long-range naval guns, then inactive. should be sent to occupied territory in Belgium to bombard Duhkirk and other Channel ports (writes Walter Hayne, in the London Evening Standard). During experiments a range of 34 miles was attained, and this led to speculation how far a gun firing smaller shells could reach. and whether Paris could be bombarded. • k A smaller gun (8.6in) was selected, fitted with an inner tube to make the use of a smaller sheli possible, and a long barrel projecting some fifteen yards beyond the muzzle. It was found that a range of 81 miles could be obtained with a shell of 2641b when fired at an angle of 55 degrees to allow it to enter the layers of air of less resistance at an angle ' of 45 degrees. The projectile attained a height of 20 miles and reached its objective in 3min 3s after dischafge. The gun was taken to the forest of Saint Gobain (near Laon), 73 miles from Paris, and was inspected by the Kaiser and Crown Prince on the day it was put . into action. From March 23 to April 8 the gun, firing intermittently, east 183 shells on Paris and 120 on the suburbs. The heaviest casualties on a single day were on March 29, when 88 were killed and 68 wounded, while attending a church ser? vice. The casualties in 16 days were approximately the same as the total in all the air raids in the last war (from March 30, 1915, until September, 1918) and in the one-day raid on Paris during the Battle of France.

The last shells fired by Big Bertha on the 16th day fell many miles short of Paris. By this time the gun was waro out and it was dismantled. According to German reports, Krupps have now ready a lOin gun which can fire shells of 6601b a distance of 150 miles. It is said to be fired at an angle of 55 degrees. and that the shell: Reaches a height of 18 miles at an angle of 45 degrees, and travels at this altitude five times as fast, owing to reduction in air resistance. Eventually attains a height of 37 miles.' Travels* 124 miles before beginning to lose pace. Falls almost perpendicularly. If these reports are correct, the new "Big Bertha" would be able to reach a large part of eastem and southern England. But it would not have a long life.

Air-raid Big ' Air-raids June 3, Bertha 1915-18 1940 Killed 255 266 2a4 Wounded 621 603 653