Canon de 155mm GPF

The Canon de 155 Grande Puissance Filloux (GPF) mle.1917 was a 155 mm cannon used by the French Army during the first half of the 20th century.

History
The gun was designed during World War I by Colonel L.J.F. Filloux to meet France's urgent need for modern heavy artillery, and became the standard heavy field gun of the French Army from 1917 until World War II.

It was also manufactured in USA from 1917, after the US switched to metric artillery based on French patterns. It was used by the United States Army and United States Marine Corps as their primary heavy artillery gun under the designation 155 mm Gun M1917 or M1918 until 1942, when it was gradually replaced by the 155 mm M1A1 'Long Tom'. Associated US Army forces in the Far East (USAFFE) such as the 301st FA Regiment (Philippine Army) and the 86th FA Regiment (Philippine Scouts), and also US Coast Artillery units (91st and 92nd CA Regiments, Philippine Scouts) also used this artillery piece in 1942. Some of the guns were originally emplaced in "Panama Mounts" on Corregidor, Caballo and Carabao islands on the entrance of Manila Bay. A number of them were removed from their emplacements and used as "roving batteries" and gave effective counter battery fire. The gun was also mounted on a self-propelled mount as the M12 Gun Motor Carriage and saw action in 1944-45.

During World War II US guns were taken out of storage and utilised for coast defence of US and allied territories, such as Australia, typically on "Panama" mountings - the gun swivelling on a central concrete pillar with the split trails spread out on rails around the pillar.

In 1940 France fielded 450 guns many of them used by the Germans for the rest of the war. In German service it was known as the 15.5 cm K 418(f) where it served with heavy artillery battalions and on coastal defense duties. A battery of six of these guns were the cause of the actions at Pointe du Hoc.

Weapons of comparable role, performance and era

 * BL 6 inch Gun Mk XIX British equivalent
 * 15 cm Kanone 16 German equivalent