Canon de 75 modèle 1897 - To Drink or Shoot?

The Great War – or as we commonly refer to it – World War 1; well, some terrible things came from the war, and some more pleasant.

The French 75, or Canon de 75 modèle 1897, was one of the modern wonders of war that was deployed. It was the first recoilless canon, thus not requiring re-aiming after firing - it was a rapid fire canon. This piece would play a significant role on the Western Front in the battles of Verdun, Meuse-Argonne, Somme, and other battles and skirmishes of the war. One hundred years ago at this time, Europe had been embattled  for 15 months.  And it would rage on for another 36 months or 3 years. America would not join those bloodied battlefields for another year.

75 MM Canon - La French 75
Musee Armee Francais

Lessons learned from the Great War...No longer would Great Britain deploy entire villages of men to the same unit, such as the  <<”36^th. Ulster Division, 109^th Brigade, Royal Inniskilllin Fusilers>>, comprised of men from Inniskillin, Ireland.  By the advent of the second world war, Great Britain would begin to deploy men like John Carless of Walsall,England. Although an Englishman, he was assigned to Scotland’s <<The Black Watch, Royal Highlanders Regiment>>. This action was to help prevent whole villages of men from being wiped out.


I’d prefer to recall a more positive creation, that of the cocktail created in 1915 at The New York Bar in Paris…...French 75 was the name ascribed to the cocktail of gin and champagne, aptly named for the “kick” it gives to those who imbibe. For me, it is my best girl’s favorite sparkling wine drink.

Salut to the memory of those who served in The Great War
July, 1914 to November, 1918. 

French 75 or Le Cocktail Canon de Soixante Quinze 

6 parts Champagne
3 parts gin

1.5 parts lemon juice

2 dashes simple syrup

Music – La Marsellaise or Heil Dir im Siegerkranz or God Save the King 
Food – Une planche de fromage