Having become a born again collector I was going through a few shells that I hadn't disposed of when I sold my collection and I have 2 18pdr. shrapnel shells, both Somme battlefield recoveries . Having had many in the past and regretfully given away I noticed one which is quite different to the norm. Firstly the cavity for the expelling charge is much larger and approx. 20mm above where the pusher plate would sit there is another tapered constriction in the bore of the shell. The date of 4/1918 is visible and it's a fired projectile. It's also 12 mm shorter than others I have. Any ideas what the usage was.
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!8pdr. shrapnel variation.
- Thread starter cyclops
- Start date
Darkman
Well-Known Member
With a date of 4/18 it's most likely a Mk XII shell which were shorter than the previous marks as it used the all-brass No. 80 Mk VI or VII heavyweight fuze. I believe the Mk XII also used a smaller diameter and longer tin powder cup and the pusher plate was a smaller diameter (a diameter that would fit inside the shell mouth - simplifying the manufacturing process so that the shell didn't have to be reheated and coned over by forging again and then re-turning in a lathe).