No. 18 fuze converted to a plug?

[Alpini]

Hello,

I hope anyone can tell me what this is? So far I know it once was a No.18 fuze probably build in 1916. But now it's empty without any mechanical parts and has a red colored cross milled into it's top and I think the last conversion was done in 1935.

Would be interested about what the stamps are telling us too

Regards, Alpini

 

[doctor]

Hello
Obsolète fuze

 

[MINENAZ16]

As far as I"m aware, the cross on the fuze was used to indicate that the fuze had been converted to an inert plug, for practice.

 

[AMMOTECHXT]

As far as I"m aware, the cross on the fuze was used to indicate that the fuze had been converted to an inert plug, for practice.

Letters and numbers that are struck through are another indication of change of use.

 

[TimG]

P.S. 3 - Plug, fuze-hole, Special, No.3, Mark I, Naval. Converted from from Fuze No. 18 Mark II.

Possibly made by British Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Trafford Park, Manchester, (based on the encircled large 'W'). Although listed as making fuzes, I can't find any contracts.

Converted by RL, Royal Laboratories. This might explain the 'RL' within a lozenze.

TimG

 

[Alpini]

Thanks to all. I guess these plugs were used on inert target practise shells? Interesting that it is a naval plug!

 

[TimG]

Alpini,

The No. 18 fuze shares the same profile as the No. 45, 45P fuze. Although both are shown as becoming obsolete in 1955, for the 18 it is probably a lot earlier and the 1955 is an Admin date. The 45P was being used by the Royal Navy right through WWII on shells 12 Pr to 6". Generally, these shells were supplied and stored 'plugged' only being fuzed when ready for use. It would appear that someone in the Ministry of Supply had the foresight to have sentenced/obsolete No. 18 fuzes converted to plugs. Yours appears to have a repair station stamp, XE within a rectangle.


TimG


D.E.M.S - Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships

 

[Alpini]

Hello Tim,

very interesting. I wonder how this plug came to germany during 2nd WW. It's quite usual that british land forces ammunition is found here but british naval stuff is nearly never seen here.

So I started to read a bit about german captured british vessels during 2nd WW and thought that not a lot of british vessels were captured. After reading it seems that there were only two vessels captured (evven less than I expected), the HMS Seal and the HMS Shark. If the WIKI article about the HMS Seal is right it had a "4 in (10 cm)/40 QF Mk XII deck gun". Together with the special plug also a primer protector clip was found. It is stamped "4 IN MK IV GUN". Now I wonder if the plug could have been used for 4-in shells too?

 

[Dronic69]

I gather you would be aware of the development of the captured 21" torpedoes from HMS Seal - the Type 3F 21" Mk VIII pistol was thought to be of superior design and used to produced the failed Pi40 pistol in an attempt to introduce the design into the German navy.