First war era French 155mm?...

[starshell]

Hi all,

Relatively new to the site, and as a collector of Great war shells, often peek in to keep informed. Great site so thanks to all.

But I'm stumped with trying to identify a shell which I bought as part of a small collection.

It has a diameter of 155mm and seems to me to be of French origin. Twin driving bands and 560mm tall (not inc fuse). The fuse it had 'fitted' (glued on!) was a knackered behive type although the diameter of the thread inside the shell is approx 38mm over threads so the fuse would not have screwed in anyway, which leaves me wondering if this shell would have had an adaptor or a specific fuse?
There are no stamped markings at all, although it has been painted.

I'd be grateful for any help you chaps could provide. I'm hopeful the answer is out there somewhere.

Many thanks!

 

[Yodamaster]

Hi Starshell,

I think you have a french 155mm Mle 1917 GP.

With the dimension you give (560mm), you miss the fuze and the fuze adapter (gaine).

Missing parts are :

- gaine cylindrique 40/50 mm Mle 2 and blocking ring
- fuze 24/31 IAL Mle 1916
or
- fuze 24/31 ROBIN-LEJAY Mle 1899 Instantane



Yoda

 

[Big Dave]

Hi the stencils and paint work on your 155 look very similar to the shells that came from the French EOD collection that was sold off a number of years ago
Regards Dave

 

[starshell]

Many thanks Yodamaster and Big Dave.
Great thing about this site is the knowledge out there!

Yodamaster & Big Dave, excuse my ignorance, but what does the 'GP' denote? I'm thinking that this shell could be a naval projectile, but knowing very little about it, I'm probably very wrong?
Can't find any info about the artillery piece it would have 'passed through' and I tend to collect more field gun projectiles than Naval stuff. Also, was this a common round or an unusual type?
Thanks for the info Big Dave. Were all the pieces sold off by the French EOD first war period, or was it a mixed bag?

 

[Yodamaster]

It's a french projectile, thus you must translate the abreviations in french !

GP = Grande Puissance


Yoda

 

[starshell]

Thanks Yoda.
My French is a tad rusty, although I can still ask for a cup of tea in French. (I think....).

 

[Big Dave]

Hi Starshell , the French EOD collection sell off included both first and second world war rounds ,i have been lucky over the years to pick up a 120mm F.A Mle 1915 ,105 mm Mle 1913 H.E and a 105 mm Mle1935 H.E .I would think there must be a few more rounds in members collections ?

 

[starshell]

Cheers Big Dave,
Nice little collection of French stuff you have there.
Would I be right in assuming the 155 I have as ID'd by Yoda is a great war period shell.
I only ask as a fellow collector says it could be a post war piece? Not sure on what basis though. As I only collect ordnance from the Great War period, its a mystery to me.
Even more so as he says these artillery pieces, like many others, saw action in the second world war.
I apologise for my ignorance with regard to French ordnance. I will learn!
Cheers!

 

[MINENAZ16]

Hello,

First introduced in 1917, but still in service after WW1 and during WW2. Obviously these shells were captured by Germans.


Regards

 

[lcn]

Hi Dylan
The 155 Mle 17 GP shell was in Fonte acire (steel cast) and colors and markings are not good.(see diagrams below). Yellow and red colors correspond to a steel shell
These shells had type A gaine with a 24/31 Instantane fuze.
Jean Paul

 

[starshell]

Many thanks for the info Jean Paul,
I've a few boat tail 155's, single driving band, but can't find any info on my twin banded non boat tail round. Is this a first war shell? Do you or anyone here have any drawings or other technical stuff on this particular shell. Maybe even an image of the gun and shells in action?
Thanks in advance!