13 Pounder Markings

[peregrinvs]

I can see it's a MkII 13 Pounder case made by the Gramophone Company. Am I right in thinking it was loaded and fired once and was accepted by army inspector number 170 on 8th June 1916?

Also need help with the markings on the primer: Who was 'MSS' (can't find a reference) and why two date (?) markings - August and November 1916? What does the 'N' mean?

Grateful if someone could translate.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[TimG]

I think Lot 170 would be more the case.

MSS - Melotte Separator Sales Ltd, Dursley, Gloucester. Prior to the war they were engaged in the sale and repair of cream separators.
(also shown as Counterslip, Bristol)

The first date is the date of manufacture, the second the date of filling.

N would normally indicate a Naval item.

TimG

 

[Dandebur]

Hello everybody,
I thank very much Tim G for his reply. It permits to me to understand two things.
First, the number under the broad arrow is the lot's number! I thought also it was the inspector's mark.
Second, the manufacturer of the primer is not the firm which has filled it. I have understood why there are two dates on it.
I think that the N on the primer is a part of the logo KN. The K is at the place of the notch and do not appears.
I join two photos of primers made by MSS and filled by KN. MSS had also made primers NI MK III with the central ring of brass or of iron.
A last question: I have also cases of 13PrII made by G C, all are dated /16. Has anybody ever seen another year?
Regards
Dandebur.

 

[TimG]

Dandebur,

I see your point regarding the missing K.

The first two were filled by Kings Norton in their filling factory at Abbey Wood, Kent. The fourth one was filled at National Filling Factory No. 5 Quedgeley. The third possibly No.1 at Leeds.

See attached re Primer No. 1 Mk III

TimG

 

[peregrinvs]

Thanks for all the input.

Perhaps someone could run me through the sequence of events... When would the cartridge case have been filled and attached to the shell? Would this been circa Nov 1916 when the primer was filled or earlier? I'm also puzzled - given the Battle of the Somme was raging at the time - why there's a five month gap between the case manufacture date and the primer filling date?

Thanks,
Mark