Cavalry cannon ("artilerie calareata"), characteristics...

I can confirm that. But according to my sources - in Pascu, S., Ceausescu, I., Musat M.., Ardeleanu I. (coord.) - Istoria militara a poporului roman, Editura Militara, Bucuresti, 1989 (vol. V), the Arisaka rifles were in use in the Romanian army in the first years after WW1, until the late 20"s-early 30's. They were however in bad condition (unusable?), as signaled in a report of the General Staff.

A probable source of procurement for those rifles, as for the Schneider-Putilov 75 mm cannons, was the army depots of the former Imperial Russian army from Moldova and Bassarabia, seized by the Romanian authorities after the Bolshevik revolution.

Very interesting details, Agarici. Thank you for posting them. Most of the Russian Arisakas saw intensive use during the Great War and the Russian Civil War; most of the guns were disposed off around the late Twenties (the propietary 6,5x50 Arisaka round continued to be manufactured for some years, though).

By the way, is there any reliable information on the quantities of Arisaka rifles seized/obtained by Royal Romanian army? And what about the ammunition? Was it produced locally? It could have been imported (many countries bought huge heaps of small arms ammunition from former Imperial Russian and Austro-Hungary stocks) too.

In the list of wapons used by Romanian Army during WW2, it is mentioned the 7,5 cm Krupp of Japanese production, model 1908.

Here are the 75mm Krupp guns listed in the field guns and howitzers table:


Designation...Production...Model.....Caliber...Barrel.Length.(cal)...Barrel.length.(mm)...Weght.in.action.(kg)...Shell.weight.(kg)...Muzzle.velocity.(m/s)...Max.range.(m)
7,5.cm.KRUPP..Germany......1904/12...75........30....................2250.................1079...................8.6...............546.....................8000
7,5.cm.KRUPP..Germany......1902......75........30....................2250.................1079...................6.5...............500.....................6900
7,5.cm.KRUPP..Germany......1903......75........30....................2250.................1079...................8.6...............546.....................6000
7,5.cm.KRUPP..Japan........1908......75........19.2..................1440.................544....................7.................435.....................7100

Krupp cannon were not the first to be used in "artilerie calareata" batteryes.

"1859, Octombrie
Guvernul rus inapoiaza Principatelor Unite tunurile de la bateriile de artilerie din Moldova si Tara Romaneasca luate in anul 1854. In afara bateriei existente deja in Moldova, cu tunurile inapoiate se constituie inca 3 baterii de artilerie: una pedestra in Moldova sub comanda capitanului Enric Herkt si doua in Tara Romaneasca, una calareata sub comanda capitanului George Manu si una pedestra sub comanda capitanului Nicolae Haralambie".

Acording to the same source, cannons used until "Unire" were from Russia and Turkey.

"1860, Decembrie 21
Se constituie primul regiment de artilerie al Principatelor Unite, din cele 4 baterii de artilerie existente in Moldova si Tara Romaneasca. La comanda regimentului este numit maiorul Tobias Gherghel, structura unitatii fiind pe 4 baterii, 2 terestre si 2 calarete."

Later new guns appeared, from Europe.

"1864 Februarie 10
Pe langa cele 4 baterii existente in cadrul Regimentului de artilerie, mai iau fiinta inca 2 baterii a cate 4 tunuri cu tevile ghintuite de provenienta belgiana, model 1863, cu teava ghintuita, fabricate la cunoscuta fonderie "Veuve Lachaussee" din Liege. Greutatea tevii la aceste tunuri este de 330 kg. iar afetul este de lemn."

"1865 Octombrie
Un numar de 12 tunuri belgiene din dotarea artileriei romane sunt inlocuite cu tunuri franceze model 1865 cu incarcare pe la gura tevii. Tevile acestor tunuri au fost lucrate la fonderia marinei franceze, iar montarea s-a facut la Paris in atelierele vestitei firme "Alexis Codillot" "

"1866 Mai 6
Se mai infiinteaza doua baterii in cadrul regimentului de artilerie. Din cele opt baterii, sase baterii aveau cate 4 tunuri, iar doua baterii cate 6 tunuri. Regimentul era organizat pe trei divizioane, primele doua divizioane erau formate din cate trei baterii a patru tunuri, iar al treilea divizion din doua baterii a sase tunuri. Bateriile de artilerie calareata au fost desfiintate, regimentul avand o structura omogena, numai baterii pedestre.
Efectivul si dotarea regimentului s-au ridicat la 49 ofiteri, 1188 de militari, 744 cai si 36 tunuri (fiecare tun avea un comandant si 6 servanti). Comanda regimentului a fost incredintata colonelului Nicolae Haralambie."

After that, when were disolved horse mounted artillery batterryes, at Octomber 1 1867 is printed "Regulamentul exercitiilor tunarului calare", a book with a key role in trainings of the romanian units, for horse mounted artillery.

My source is: "Istoria Artileriei Romane in Date" by Lt. Gen. Victor Stanculescu and Col. ® dr. Constantin Ucrain, a book from 1988.

Iama