8.5lb practice bomb

[lookfar]

G'day All,
I recently acquired one of these 8.5lb practice bombs that has been chromed and made into a lamp.

one of the markings has me a bit confused as to it's meaning.
The markings on the tail are;

8 1/2lb
IM
MF
1939.

Dunno what the "IM" is.

TIA
Stu

[ron3350]

I also have two 8 1/2lb practice bombs painted white. My markings are on the unscrewed tail base where the primer fits.
I have OO with a line between the O's so maybe PP back-to-front? 41.
The other is MHK joined with a c above the H bar and & below it /4. Also stamped on the head.
I have no idea on the IM and MF on yours. Does not seem MF factory that made small arms ammo. I await the experts too. Ron.

[ron3350]

I have lots of MF made artillery cases but have no records of them making bombs. Please advise if MF did make bombs.

[TimG]

MHK - McKenzie & Holland (Australia) Pty., Ltd., 41-59 Stephenson Street and 9-9A Sutton Street, South Kingsville, Hobsons Bay City, Melbourne also Brisbane

Manufacturers of railway signal equipment. Eventually became part of Westinghouse Brake (Australia) Pty Ltd.

TimG

[kahu1]

The local Railway workshops made practice bombs in NZ during the war, so a railway signal manufacturer would likely have been utilised for similar, with foundry, machining and sheet fabrication workshops.

A lot of the local (NZ)production was actually for a sort of lend/lease pool of ordnance arranged by the British, some of the local production was earmarked for the India/Burma theatre.