This thread discusses the Content article: Concerning the employment of artillery shrapnel for the defeat of exposed enemy troops

A few questions here to clarify.

The difference between “shrapnel” and “instead employing for this purpose projectiles with the fuse set for fragmentation action.” is not clear.

By “shrapnel” is meant a projectile loaded with metal shot that is scattered in a air burst?

Would “with the fuse set for fragmentation action.” mean the fuse set for detonation on impact with the ground surface?

The differences are perhaps subtle, but important to a artilleryman like myself. In this case it has much to do with the effectiveness of the divsion artillery, gives some insight into the real abilities of the RKKA artillerymen

A lesser question is: what would be the ammount of ammunition in the basic load of the batterys and regiment? re:”5. Maintain not less than 20 percent shrapnel munitions in the basic load of regiment and division artillery 76mm batteries.”

thanks for any answers

Carl Schwamberger wrote:


Yep, this document means soviet artillerists ignored shrapnel ammo at all and used HE ammo instead. They set fuse of a HE round for fragmentation impact.

Would the ratio of shrapnel to HE ammo issued to mountain troops have differed from that issued to normal regimental and divisional batteries? In the Caucasus for example there would have been less point in issuing HE rounds since ground penetration would have been impossible in the mountains.

Ok, then I understand the shrapnel projectiles were left unused, and the HE projectiles were used with fuze setting for impact rather than timed for air bursts.

"Would the ratio of shrapnel to HE ammo issued to mountain troops have differed from that issued to normal regimental and divisional batteries? In the Caucasus for example there would have been less point in issuing HE rounds since ground penetration would have been impossible in the mountains."

I dont know about the proportion of ammunition. I do know that the penetration of HE projectiles depends on the use of a fuze with a "delay" setting. Most fuzes have a setting with a delay of a fraction of a second. When set to delay it allows the projectile to pass thru tree tops, building roofs, or other light cover to explode underneath. I also know from experince that timing air bursts in hills or mountains is 'difficult'.

In the US and British armys shrapnel type ammunition had become rare. When air bursts were required time fuzes were applied to ordinary HE projectiles for fragmenation in the air rather than at the surface. This is why I wanted to be sure I understood the translation. That it was refering specificically to shrapnel ammunition, and air bursts in general.