Need info on British WWII 303 mkVII Packaging

[vikingsraven]

Hi, just wondering if anyone can help me please, I'm making a Type C container for an SOE drop display (Section F , France), I have various weapons( Bren , Sten (mk2) , 2 x Lee Enfield, browning automatic, and S/w 38), but I need to have some ammunition packs in the as well, I appreciate the ammo would have been dropped in a separate container, but I have limited space and its just a representation.
I'm after what type of ammo boxes would have been supplied and the paper wrapping around the ammo. I presume ( and please correct if wrong) the ammo would have been in a tin lined box and stored in packs of ten, or would it have been in bandoleers?

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.
thanks

 

[TonyE]

WW2 British .303 was normally supplied in bandoleers (10 x 5 round chargers), 32 round boxes or 48 round boxes. The 32 rounds were packed verically with cardboard dividers and the 48 rounds were flat packed, sometimes with thin paper interleaved between the rounds. There were also a few 50 round boxes and of course 250 round Vickers belts. The ten round paper packets had been phased out pre-war, although India continued to use them until about mid war.

Outer packaging was in tin boxes with tear-off lids within wooden crates. By about 1944 the new "universal" packaging was coming into use with a tin H52 liners inside plywood H51 outer, two of which were in a steel H50 crate. For .303 inch the liners held either 300 rounds in bandoleers, 288 rounds in cartons or 250 round in a stripless belt.

In the coded SOE ordering catalogue, "Gooseberry" was 1000 rounds of .303 in bandoleers, "Raspberry" was 1000 rounds in cartons and "Bilberry" was 1000 rounds for the MMG, so presumably Vickers belted.

I will post typical packet labels if of interest.

Regards
TonyE

 

[vikingsraven]

Tony E , thanks i would be interested in the packages, i do have a bandoleer, did the rounds come pre loaded in the clips. also what dimensions would the boxes be. sorry as i pointed out im not conversant with this part of the military, as about WOK's LOP's and one time pads and im your man. Thanks for the info.

 

[hangarman]

Hi Vikingsraven,
I would go for either the H1/ H13 or the H29. Either of which could contain bandoliers. PM me for pictures and dimensions
Hangarman

 

[hangarman]

For H29 the dimensions are as follows;

The base is 237mm wide x 393mm long x 15mm thick

The sides are 188mm wide x 425mm long x 12mm thick

The lid is 239mm wide x 390 mm long x 12mm thick

The ends are 215mm wide x 188mm deep x 15mm thick with 2 battens fixed vertically either side 214mm long x 45mm wide x 15mm thick, screwed from inside

The steel straps either end are made of unpainted mild steel 19mm wide x 2mm thick.

The top, base and sides are made of pine (softwood) and the ends are made of Hardwood.

For pictures see post http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/27725-H.-29-mk-3?p=61391

Cheers
Hangarman