Australian PE 3 (8oz) Box.

[ron3350]

I am back on line after 9 weeks without my computer. So much to catch up on the forums.

I found this Australian box but I do not know what PE 3 (80z) contents were. I need help.
The wooden box is painted brown and is 310 x 230 x 200mm deep. Aistralian MO marked on base and clip.

PE 3 40/ 8oz CHARGES Lot 008 MDK 9 - 57. AIS on cloth seals.
I forgot the side photo so edited.

 

[Basilisk]

Possibly 8 ounce blocks of Plastic Explosive No.3?

 

[kiwieod]

yes this box contained 40 8 ounce(oz) charges of plastic explosive number 3.i have the same box but a MK2,so they must have used it for quite some time

 

[TimG]

PE3 is one of the earlier British plastic explosives. There are much of a muchness and certainly with early ones the difference is the percentage of RDX and the composition of the plasticiser. From what I can ascertain, in the case of PE3, carbon-black was incorporated in the lubricating oil to achieve an acceptable temperature coefficient. Otherwise at 0 deg C they become extremely hard and at about 40 deg C they are too soft for use.

MDK - Explosives Factory, Albion.

AIS - I've no listing for AIS and suspect that it isn't a Station Monogram but an Inspection unit. (As it's Australian, 'Pedro' will know the answer to this).

The contents of Kiwi's box were made by BGW - ROF Bridgewater.

The box was made by Remploy. Remploy was established in 1944 by the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, the aim of which was to provide employment for people injured during the war and coal miners with health conditions. It is/was a government-owned business which had factories all over the country. A lot of the contracts were for the government.

TimG

 

[kiwieod]

heres a photo of some PE4,i would think the PE3 is the same size

 

[pedro]

Box Ammo Wood M319 md at Ordnance Factory Maribyrnong, Victoria (a Melbourne suburb close to another Explosives Factory and the Small Arms Ammo factories)
PE3 is the black one which was replaced by PE4, the white one.
This lot 008 produced at the Albion Explosives Factory (Albion is a Melbourne suburb close to Deer Park.. hence the monogram (MDK)- long since closed)
AIS was the Army Inspection Service which was replaced by Army Quality Assurance Unit(s) along with new monogram (AQAU). Both have now gone the way of the dodo.
In later years s part of packaging rationalisation the M319 (40 carts in 4 x cdbd box 10) was replaced by 20 carts per M19A1/H81 with 4 boxes per wirebound, wraparound box F3 for total of of 80 carts. (which can split an issued as individual box of 20 with no repack required.
The rationalisation increased the mass of 80 carts from 24 to 28kg but more importantly reduced the volume from .034m3 to .028m3 meaning more could be stored in less space.