Meaning of "I" on late 8,8 cm Kriegsmarine case

[Hoeksel]

Recently I aquired 2 late 8,8 cm Flak18 cases (1939 and 1940) for the Kriegsmarine, both with a stamped "I". Does anybody know what this "I"could mean?

 

[Tmine35]

Could it have something to do with reload? Next to "I" there is a dot which is clearly a marking of reload ( at least if the case has been in use in Finland ). However "I" is not a Finnish reload marking.

 

[Hoeksel]

Maybe but never seen on other cases. These are found in The Netherlands as ornaments.

 

[thekees]

i've seen this "1"before, next to the dot of reloads.

 

[Hoeksel]

I checked my 1939 case and it also has the "dot" although not near the "I". So might be related afterall. Let's see if I can find the meaning of I in any of my German ordnance documents.

 

[Alpini]

also german WW1 Kriegsmarine cases have that "I" next to the reloading dots like this one:

 

[Hoeksel]

A collector friend of mine mentioned it might have to do with the charge, III being full charge and I being the lowest charge. Indeed many WW2 cases have a ink stamp like III on the case. For reloaded WW1 cases the Roman numbers are also standard, I have seen II or III on basically every type of case. That would make sense.

 

[thekees]

For the charge i've seen ink stamps, or special markings like TRIP etc, so my guess is I is the first reload, II the second etc.

Kees