What's new
British Ordnance Collectors Network

Join over 14,000 collectors of inert military ordnance. Get expert identification help for shells, fuzes, grenades, and more — plus access our classifieds marketplace and decades of archived knowledge. Free to register, takes seconds.

120mm French or German WWI ?

Tarbelin51

Tarbelin51

Well-Known Member
Ordnance approved
Hello

we found this shell 120mm in french profile Mle 1878.
But with what looks like a German fuze against the cold markings that are on the brass section.
Someone would have an idea ?
Size:
High without fuze: 350mm
Ring Band to base: 24mm
diameter: 120mm

-IMG_0028_2.jpg-IMG_0029_2.jpg-IMG_0026_2.jpg-IMG_0032_2.jpg-IMG_0033_2.jpg-IMG_0034_2.jpg
 
Hi Tarbelin,
I saw this mark (diamond in a circle) somewhere, but WHERE ?????
If there is only this mark and those 6 branch star, should it not can be a simple plug ?
I looked in our WW I french, german and belgian docs and nowhere found a trace of these fuze. Let us search on another way !



Yoda
 
Just checked my sources and agree with trrr, its Rheinische Metallwaren und Maschinen Fabrik, and if it is a fuze I cant find any reference to it..
 
But why fire it with the transport-plug still in it? Is there a secondary igniter in the projectile?
Could this projectile be a part of the "Beutewaffen"? You know, stocks of ammo and weapons,
captured of the French and re-used by the germans.

Just my 2cents
 
A little bump to this topic;

Yesterday I've heard 3 plausible reasons why this projectile is how it is;

1) PRACTICE: it is possible that this is a practice round, instead of explosives it could be filled with sand.

2&3) It could be a fire-at-night situation where you've got 2 possibilities;
-----A: the soldiers were drunk (all 5 of them???)

-----B: and that's a bit more acceptable; They did this on purpose
you know how they say to not wake a sleeping dog, well, those Germans must have thought the same.
They got their fire-mission but it was a quit night. So to not draw fire from the enemy, they fired the
rounds with the transport-plug. There for the shell landed without exploding.
The officer who gave the order could hear them firing so for him it was a done deal.

So, what do you guys think. Maybe one of you already heard of one of those reasons possible on either
side of the battlefield. :p

edit: the copper-belt is about 1,5cm wide right? So I thought this means the projectile is completely German.
 
Hello Guys

Thank you all for your reasoning.
Unfortunately our projectille left in destruction and had no time to do an X -Ray.
It remains a mystery .
But I still think a reuse of a french shells by the Germans, with perhaps a fuze without detonator ( Obus black powder) or for the star to enhanced primer.

Following the next discovery ...

Tarbelin51
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top