Features
Eric Bryan looks at the fearsome Italian 75/18 self-propelled gun of World War Two
Semovente 75/18 M14/41, photographed on the occasion of the Armed Forces Festival. The specimen was on public display at the Circus Massimo, Rome CAUSA83, PUBLIC DOMAIN, ITALIAN WIKIPEDIA
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The Semovente da 75/18 self-propelled gun was reputedly the only Italian AFV which Allied tank crews seriously feared. The idea for the Semovente came from artilleryman Colonel Sergio Berlese, who had designed the Obice da 75/18 modello 34 mountain gun. Berlese suggested that the Italians develop a self-propelled gun similar to the StuG III, Germany’s ubiquitous assault gun built on the Panzer III chassis, which had been so effective in the invasion of France.
