# Trench around Howitzer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 6, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631 "2012-01-06T16:06:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/1 "2012-01-06T16:06:24Z")
In this pic - [45 Beautiful Photos of the U.S. Military From the Last Year](http://www.businessinsider.com/us-army-photos-2012-1#-11) It apears that the soldiers have dug a small trench around the front of the gun (a Howitzer is a gun not a cannon, right?). What would be the purpose of that? Maybe it helps deflect the sound? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/2 "2012-01-06T16:16:30Z")
Perhaps they removed soil to provide a level firing platform. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/3 "2012-01-06T16:21:09Z")
Defensive fortifications against very small Iraqis? I’m guessing its to mark off a radius around the gun for some reason. Like “don’t stand in this radius without ear protection” or something. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/4 "2012-01-06T16:42:23Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Defensive fortifications against very small Iraqis? 😃 > [@Simplicio](#): > > I’m guessing its to mark off a radius around the gun for some reason. Like “don’t stand in this radius without ear protection” or something. Or, I bet it’s “Don’t stand infront of this ditch or the concussion will knock your eyeballs out your ears”. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/5 "2012-01-06T17:04:39Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > I’m guessing its to mark off a radius around the gun for some reason. Like “don’t stand in this radius without ear protection” or something. Maybe you’re not allowed within the circle if you haven’t received Howitzer training. My first thought was someone came through and marked where the Howitzers would go before they actually showed up, but I like your guess better. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/6 "2012-01-06T17:09:12Z")
Actually, I’m changing my guess. The two rear supports in the back look like they bump up against the circumference of the trench. I’m thinking that they dig the trench to provide back support to the gun so it doesn’t move due to recoil. They dig it in a circle so they can swivel the gun to face a different direction. In anycase, I’m sure some military dopers will come by and save us from my WAGing. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/7 "2012-01-06T17:32:42Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Actually, I’m changing my guess. The two rear supports in the back look like they bump up against the circumference of the trench. I’m thinking that they dig the trench to provide back support to the gun so it doesn’t move due to recoil. They dig it in a circle so they can swivel the gun to face a different direction. > > In anycase, I’m sure some military dopers will come by and save us from my WAGing. I didn’t notice that the ditch went all the way around. It’s kind of hard to see at the rear of the gun. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/8 "2012-01-06T17:38:15Z")
It looks to me like the ditch is about as far away from the center of the gun as the barrel is long. In other words, “Stay out of this area or you might get hit with the barrel”. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/9 "2012-01-06T18:03:45Z")
I think it’s where the rear legs go, no matter what the orientation of the gun. They dug the trench so the gun will be relatively level no matter what direction they are lobbing hellos. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/10 "2012-01-06T18:08:40Z")
For what it’s worth, there is another howitzer of the same type in those photos [here](http://static.businessinsider.com/image/4f0615adecad044241000035-915/slide-301.jpg). No trench is visible around the front end, but I do notice a little pile of sandbags just under the barrel. Perhaps both are ad-hoc solutions to prevent you from braining yourself in the middle of the night. ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Pham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9a140/32.png) [@Carl\_Pham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Pham)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/11 "2012-01-06T18:21:48Z")
I would agree with the people who say it’s just a warning to soldiers walking about not to hit their heads on the barrel. You have a similar problem with sailboats – you can readily smack your head on the boom if you’re not used to thinking about obstructions at head level that do not continue down to the ground, where your eyes often are while you’re walking. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/12 "2012-01-06T18:22:37Z")
Another WAG: Perhaps the trench is to keep the cannon from rolling off its placement. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/13 "2012-01-06T18:45:52Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Actually, I’m changing my guess. The two rear supports in the back look like they bump up against the circumference of the trench. I’m thinking that they dig the trench to provide back support to the gun so it doesn’t move due to recoil. They dig it in a circle so they can swivel the gun to face a different direction. > > In anycase, I’m sure some military dopers will come by and save us from my WAGing. Ammo guy here. Absolutely correct. The spades at the end of the trail dig in to keep the howitzer in place. Most of the recoil is absorbed by the gun’s recoil mechanism. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/14 "2012-01-06T19:00:56Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I didn’t notice that the ditch went all the way around. It’s kind of hard to see at the rear of the gun. I see it now. It’s easier to see if you realize that there seems to be a ‘walkway’ where the lone soldier is standing. You can see the rest of the ditch between the group of other soldiers. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/15 "2012-01-06T19:27:05Z")
OP is a picture of an M777 155 howitzer. Most everything is titanium for air mobility. Except for barrel, breech block, tires… Here are two pictures of the older M198 155mm howitzer. Longer trails and use of sandbags to reinforce the circular ditch. I hope - first attempt at pictures. [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/7024/6648508413_c7945d13ef_z.jpg "smithsb5288") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/73731029@N07/?saved=1) ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/16 "2012-01-07T15:28:57Z")
I’m inclined to think it just keeps the rainwater from washing over the gun position ---
**Author:** ![UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/46a35a/32.png) [@UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UFC_Is_Sux)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trench-around-howitzer/608631/17 "2012-01-07T15:36:59Z")
My original WAG was going to be “So they have somewhere to throw a dud round that will help protect them if it explodes.” Then I actually looked at the linked picture and realized that the trench is far too shallow for that. Therefore, I’ve changed my WAG to “Because that’s the way the scouts marked the emplacement location for the weapon. In other words, ‘Put your howitzer HERE inside the big circle at grid coordinates umptyfratz by lolligaggery.’”