.303 booby trap ignitors

[kiwieod]

recently got this very nice and quite rare packet of 303 cases for the Australian murray switch(boobytrap).packet is aussie made as well.does anybody know where the name murray came from,designer of switch,place where it was made perhaps?

 

[Dronic69]

Major Cyril Stewart Murray, of North Brighton Vic:

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/REL/02069/

 

[kiwieod]

thanks for that.

 

[John Kindred]

Hi,

There are two versions of the packets for the Murray Switch, however, they are one and the same capped case with the T slot in the case neck. I believe they were also issued with a special set of pliers to crimp the case onto the detonator cord.

The majority of the cases are unheadstamped, although at time are found with normal ball headstamps.

Cheers

John

 

[John Kindred]

Shown is the Mark 1 version, a later slightly different version was the Mk. 2. On my example there are no identifying marks at all.
According to the Australian War Memorial these were manufactured in Victoria, Australia. If that was the case, the diecast body could possibly have been produced by Diecasters Limited. But that is only my guess.
This company also manufactured .303 Diecast Drill rounds, and parts for the Austen submachine gun.

 

[kiwieod]

thanks for that info.who is the maker on your packet?mine is MG,do you know the headstamp on the cartridges that have it?also I have an original box for the murray switch,it is marked STB,do you know who this was?
thanks

 

[John Kindred]

Sorry, I only have the photo of the packet, but will try to find out which facility produced them (for a couple of reasons this could take some months). It would be only MF or MG, and will either have no headstamp, or most likely a Mk VII ball headstamp.

I've never seen a box for the Murray switch, so would love to see photos. STB is also new to me, so will need some research. The problem here is that the diecasting would most likely be done by one factory, and the metal work at another.

Cheers John

 

[kiwieod]

heres some photos of mine.box is heavily waxed and would have been completely sealed when issued.also shown is the original instructions which came with switch inside box.

 

[smle2009]

having a guess at S.T.B.,along the lines of how the British military term things, SWITCH-TRAP-BOOBY...for the use of ?

 

[John Kindred]

kiwieod,
Thank you so much for the photos and instructions. I am really pleased to be able to add this information to my research on Aust. Military items.

smle2009,

Your hunch may well be correct, it certainly makes sense, particularly with the (Aust). This designation was used on some cartridge variations which were local variations, such as the Grenade Cartridge H Mk. IV (Aust.) Still I would like to be sure, in case it was a manufacturer.

 

[kiwieod]

I also thought it could be for the british way of designating things