German 10.5cm Light Field Howitzer Batteries

I have recently completed two batteries of German 10.5cm leFH18 field howitzers. The leFH18, which stands for leichte Feldhaubitze 18, was the most commonly used German artillery piece of the second world war. It could fire shells weighing just under 15kg out to a distance of roughly 6.5 miles at a rate of 6 to 8 rounds per minute.

Each division in the German army had an artillery regiment included in its order of battle. For panzer and panzer grenadier divisions these would usually be self-propelled (or partially so) but for most other divisions, they would be towed, often by horses.

The divisional artillery regiment in a German division comprised three battalions; one of 15cm sFH18 howitzers and three of 10.5cm leFH18s. The structure of all four battalions was the same; three batteries of 4 guns and each battery subdivided into two 2-gun sections.

This quantity of fire support nominally amounted to one light battalion and one heavy battery per infantry regiment in the division’s order of battle. I say nominally because the amount of firepower actually available would depend on the divisional commander’s plan for each phase of an operation or upon dynamically changing tactical priorities as operations unfolded on the ground (in other words, the needs to react to and disrupt the enemy’s plan and intentions).

Below are some photographs of my two batteries.

T.A.G.

Firing line.

The two batteries seen from above. They take up a lot of space

Front view of leFH18.

General view.

Artillery fires indirectly which means without being able to see the target. A forward observer provides instructions to the battery so that the target can be fired upon with accuracy.

I’ve chosen lorries but much WW2 German artillery was horse-drawn.