Collage of four long articles and two blurbs on the shelling of Paris between March and May of 1918 by the long range (approximately 7.2 miles) German artillery piece nicknamed "Big Bertha". Articles are titled "Paris district again shelled by German long-range gun," "Little damage by big gun," "Protection of Paris school children," and "Bertha fires but makes no victims." Blurbs are titled "Long-range gun again bombards Paris district," and "Big gun fired during night." These articles come from a collection of materials that may have been collected by Dr. James Naismith or his Family. Dr. James Naismith was in Paris at the time of the shelling. The publishers and writers of the articles are not identified.
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Big Bertha was initially conceived of as early as 1888 by the Krupp armaments factory and sucessively more powerful models were built in 1897, 1906, 1912, and 1914. It was used in the shelling of Paris from as far away as 74 miles (120 km) between March 23 and May 1 1916. Its barrel diameter calibre was 16.5 in (420 mm) and it lobbed shells weighing 1,807 lbs (820 kg). They were used to destroy the Belgian forts at Liège, Namur, and Antwerp, and the French fort at Maubeuge, as well as other forts in northern France.
