How to convert your field gun - Italian style

[Frank Schofield]

On a real photograph Italian postcard, addressed to Cornwall, 321529 L/Bdr Stanley Brokenshire of the Royal Garrison Artillery, Cornwall (Duke of Cornwall's), writes to his brother, postmarked FPO F.D.9 on 17th November 1918. Shield censor (CM8) No. 454 is present.
The card shows Italian soldiers who have most unusually adapted their field gun to an Anti-Aircraft role.
Everybody is looking up, but has the photograph been staged?

Frank Schofield

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Frank,

Nice card and ingenious use of the gun. I wonder if they ever got close to hitting an aircraft. Even with planes being slow, the recoil on the gun would be significant and aiming must have been luck rather than anything else, you also could not fire rapid rounds.... but great to see the Italians have a go !

Pete

[Michael Dobbs]

Frank

As usual a very nice item - good postal and censor strikes.  As you say it does look very much as if the photo was staged!

Mike  :)