Who fired the first artillery round of WW1 on the Germans

[tinpan]

Hi Folks I not sure who fired the first artillery round at the Germans in WW1 Heres a photo of one but not sure that is the first . Fired from the Nepean Gun Fort Port Philip Bay Melbourne Australia 12.30 pm August 5 1914 . 6 inch Mk VII fired round across the bow of German Merchant Steamer SS Pfalz . Pfalz made a last minute dash for open water. Soon returned to port.

tinpan

 

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[diggummup]

Good post. I do believe the Aussie's can claim this prize. Only difference I see is the size of the shell...

First Artillery rounds fired Aug 1914 - The Western Front - Great War Forum

The honour of firing the first shot (artillery or otherwise) after the decaration of war on 4th August belongs to the 4.7" Mark VII Naval Gun emplacement 'B1' at Fort Nepean in Melbourne Australia. Situated on either side of the heads at the entrance to Port Philip Bay, Fort Queenscliff and Fort Nepean guarded Melbourne.

On 5 August 1914, within minutes of receiving news about the declaration of war, the German ship SS Pfalz attempted to escape. Lieutenant-Colonel Sandford at Fort Queenscliff gave an order to Lieutenant C Morris, the Fire Commander at Fort Nepean, to either stop her or sink her. After the German ship ignored signals to halt, the B1 gun fired across her bow and she was forced to return to port.

 

[RJ55]

My grandpa fought in WW1 couldn't get him to talk about it at all. Must have seen some rough stuff.

 

[Smithbrown]

Surely must have been the Belgians?
Memories of German WWI atrocities haunt Belgium