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Weapons of WWI. Canadian Heavy Artillery. Used to bombard enemy trenches before attack Mobile guns – could be wheeled easily from location to location Many suffered from “ shell-shock ” from hours of continuous shelling. Vickers Machine Gun. Rapid fire (400-500 bullets per minute)
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Canadian Heavy Artillery • Used to bombard enemy trenches before attack • Mobile guns – could be wheeled easily from location to location • Many suffered from “shell-shock” from hours of continuous shelling
Vickers Machine Gun • Rapid fire (400-500 bullets per minute) • Allowed for massive losses for advancing troops • Trenches were built to avoid machine guns • Tanks would soon limit the machine gun
Canada’s Ross Rifle • Canada was equipped with this gun • Originally a sportsman gun • Frequently jammed in the trenches • Soldiers would throw it away when they could get their hands on a British gun
The Replacement: The Lee Enfield • Sturdy, rarely jammed, and reliable • At 1st Sam Hughes (Canada’s Minister of Militia) threatened court martial if a soldier lost their Ross Rifle • After mass complaints Ross Rifle is switched with the Lee Enfield
Grenades • Detonated 2 ways: on impact or a timed fuse • Important in the war due to trenches • Lobbed into the enemy’s trench
Gas • Considered an inhumane form of warfare • Tear Gas – made enemies eye tear up • Chlorine Gas – made it difficult to breath • Mustard Gas – caused the skin to blister
Tanks • Had the ability to cut through barbed wire • Had trouble moving through mud and trenches • Often broke down • Improved greatly by the end of the war
Trench Mortar • A short tube which fired a shell directly on the enemy • Landed in the trench • Easy to carry, pick up, and move (and hide)
Fighter Planes • First used to find the enemy (surveillance) • Later used to attack enemy lines • Engineers develop an interrupter system to block gun from firing into propeller • Many began to use top-mounted gun
Dirigibles • Inflatable airships used for scouting and bombing • Often used at Sea to sink enemy ships • Germany had the Zeppelin – built extremely well • Britain used smaller ones
Submarines • US and Britain responsible for much research into the building of subs • Germany would utilize the sub the most • Called U-Boats • Used torpedoes • Responsible for mass sinking of Allied ships
Question: Identify the weapon you think might have the biggest impact on WWI. Explain why.