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Crane ballast box projectiles

tigbrand

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
We have all heard about all the shells that came from the crane ballast box and most of us have owned one or more. My questions are as follows, where was the crane and does anyone have any info or even better pictures. What exactly was in there? Various 2 pounder, 12pdr shot, 3" shot is what I know of.
There have been a lot of 2 pounders minus band around in the last few years but they are all the same type, are these from the crane or somewhere else as I had different ones years ago,
Finally, did any have bands on?
Any info really appreciated as this has interested me for years. Tig.
 
There are forum members who mentioned about the story of the find. Not sure if the cranes were from the London dock sites now demolished, it would be interesting if there were other cranes about either still in use or sitting derelict ready to be scrapped full of goodies. Not sure if these projectiles were used as ballast in other things than crane ballast, would be worth finding the original documentation of where these projectiles came from and how and who made the dissision to put them in cranes etc and what other forms of munitions was implemented for other uses, might be some good finds elsewhere.
 
there was work carried out on a river bridge in Staines where a cantilever effect was required and US 37mm APCBC projectiles were used to give greater density to the concrete, they were from memory locally made. I went and spoke to the site engineer and he let me have a couple. no longer in my possession.
 
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