Skip77, I want to compliment you on your avatar image. I was 11 years old when I bought that very model, the 60mm Army howitzer, in 1958 and we had lots of fun chasing one another around the backyard after loading it with a bunch of hard, green, elderberries and stems.
Now, back on topic, we remembered that, in our little artillery print collection, there is a painting which includes an image of a small shell crane on the famous Union Navy Ship, Kearsarge. This is one of those well-known paintings of this high-seas duel, in 1864, about three miles of the coast of France near Cherbourg, which led to the sinking of the CSS Alabama. The four sailors in the painting were pulling on the crane's line that hauled the heavy shells up to the 11" Dahlgren Pivot Gun on that fateful day.
"Roll Alabama, roll!" When the Alabama's Keel was Laid, (Roll Alabama, roll!), 'Twas laid in the yard of Jonathan Laird (Roll, roll Alabama, roll!)
'Twas Laid in the yard of Jonathan Laird, 'twas laid in the town of Birkenhead.
Down the Mersey way she rolled then, and Liverpool fitted her with guns and men.
From the western isle she sailed forth, to destroy the commerce of the north.
To Cherbourg port she sailed one day, for to take her count of prize money.
Many a sailor laddie saw his doom, when the Kearsarge it hove in view.
When a ball from the forward pivot that day, shot the Alabama's stern away.
Off the three-mile limit in '64, the Alabama was seen no more.
Regards,
Mike and Tracy