Indian made 2.75" Mountain Gun Shrapnel Shell dated 1913/14

[roller63]

I recently bought this shell locally, I don't normally collect projectiles, but it is in very good condition and sounded unusual. After some research I believe this is a 2.75" Mountain Gun Shrapnel shell, made in India in 1913/14. I presume it has been fired by the rifling marks on the driving band, but the rest of the shell seems un-damaged by firing. I imagine the paint is non original, but seems to have been re finished very well.
The screw in base of the shell has a left handed thread and is marked : 2.75 IN 1 F S A 28/5 or 7/14 Co (the 5 and 7 are stamped over each other) Indian broad arrow mark.
The all Aluminium No 80 Fuze is marked : 80 III DF 100 3/13 Co Indian broad arrow. Graduated 0-22.
Am I right in thinking that DF is for the Dum Dum Factory, and FS could be forged steel ? Is Co a manufacturers mark ? Any comments welcome.

 

[Snufkin]

FS on the shell is indeed for Forged Steel; Co is the monogram of the Gun and Shell Factory, Cossipore; and DF is likely Dum Dum, which is just down the road from Cossipore.



Tom.

 

[highlandotter]

Thanks for showing. What a few years difference in the appearance between your projectile as compared to 1900 Vickers round.

 

[tigbrand]

Somebody must have really liked it to bring it back to the UK! Nice find. :bigsmile: Tig

 

[Bellifortis]

Hi,
woulldn't it be more likely, that the shell was supplied to the british war effort in Europe ?

Somebody must have really liked it to bring it back to the UK! Nice find. :bigsmile: Tig

 

[AE501]

Such a small gun had no place in Europe with its tremendous metalled road network, where larger guns could easily be towed by their gun tractors..
The 2.75" mountain gun was produced to meet the need for a relatively lightweight gun to augment the british 3.7" Pack How and the US 75mm M3 gun in Burma. Once long range penetration columns started, followed by Gen. Orde Wingates 1st Chindit expedition, there was an urgent need for a man/mule packable gun which could be dragged up the steep razor ridges in Burma, which came one after the other. This gun could be fired up mountains, but more importantly, be fired from mountains down into the valleys, where the only roads were. These were controlled by the more numerical Japanese.

 

[Snufkin]

Gen. Orde Wingates 1st Chindit expedition... Burma... controlled by the more numerical Japanese.

Wrong war?

Was the shell not meant for the Indian Corps that arrived in France in late 1914?




Tom.

 

[AE501]

I really should read the full text before opening mouth.
It says 1913.