Lahitolle 95 mm cannon



The Lahitolle 95 mm cannon (Mle 1875) was a French cannon of the 19th century, developed in 1875 by the artillery commander de Lahitolle. The Lahitolle 90 mm was the first French field cannon made of steel, and one of the first to be equipped with a screw breech (issued 16 years after the British and Prussians adopted a similar system). It was adopted by the French Army in 1875 and superseded the Reffye cannon.



The Lahitolle 95 mm was superseded by the de Bange 90 mm cannon in 1877. An improved version, the Lahitolle 95 mm (Mle 1888), was developed in 1888. The Lahitolle 95 mm was still in use during World War I, together with the de Bange 90 mm cannon, as French industry could not keep with production requirements for the much newer Canon de 75. The Lahitolle 95 mm was also used in the fortifications of the Maginot line.