18 pdr shell case head stamp identification

[ckolonko]

I found this 18 pounder shell case today for £8. Could someone please identify the headstamps for me?



Kind regards,

Chris

 

[TimG]

Chris,

The case was made by Ireland and Mathews Manufacturing Co. USA (the strange sign in the rectangle following EWBC) sub contracted by E.W. Bliss & Co. of USA

I have no idea as to the significance of the 'M's

I'm working on the Primer.

Tim

P.S. I would hazard an educated guess and say "PB & Co." is Platt Bros. & Co., Ltd, Hartford Works, Oldham.

 

[Weasel]

Ckolonko,
I have moved your picture to on site hosting to stop the image being lost and the thread becoming useless in the future, please read the following link. Next time the thread will be deleted without warning.

http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/85856-How-to-upload-images-01-02-13?p=262710#post262710

Best regards Weasel.

 

[ckolonko]

Sorry Weasel I wasn't aware that images could be posted to site. In future I will post to site. Thanks for the ID so far TimG. Any idea what SOLD stands for?

 

[TimG]

After the Armistice we were left with an enormous amount of equipment of all descriptions. A lot of the equipment was sold to the public as a way of recouping the cost. Your case may well have been one that was so disposed and stamped 'SOLD' to denote it hand passed into civil ownership.

TimG

 

[ckolonko]

I was hoping that was the case (pun intended).

 

[ydnum303]

The "M ^ M" stamp is "Ministry of Munitions", I think, as they had the job of disposing of much of the surplus Ordnance supplies after the War. It was done to indicate that it had been legally sold, and not stolen! Have seen it on a number of cases.

Regards,
Roger.

 

[ckolonko]

Wonderful! Thanks ydnum303