18pdr 1914 Cartridge

[cestrialad]

Well, having decided to buy no more 18 pounder cartridge cases, it occured to me that a 1914 example was required, bid and lost on one on Ebay the other week only to have another turn up days later.
Described as Fireside Companion set, without the 'bits', at 15 buy it now it was a no brainer. Slight downside is that I thought the parts either side of the mouth were just bent pieces of brass turned into the case (to hold tongs,brush) turned out a small hole had been drilled and a pop rivet applied.....bit remedial work to do here.
Anyway, the before and after shots of cleaned base show it was made by Kings Norton Metal Co. in 1914 but not filled till July 1915, as this concern did not become active as a National Filling Factory until January 1916 I wonder where the case had been, early artillery ammunition shortages would make you think it would have been used much earlier.
The filling dates and inspectors stamp have all been restamped but the ghost impressions below them, although smaller,are the same.

 

[Burney Davis]

I hate to tell you this, but you have removed all of the original paint and remains of the red markings that were on the shell! Yellow paint indicated HE shell.

D

 

[cestrialad]

Well I never! Have to admit it never occurred to me that the greeny (obviously degraded yellow) colour was nothing more than the result of the case standing somewhere damp, the rest is very dirty, also, even with my glasses on I would not have made out the red stencil remains in daylight, as often though they are more evident in the digi photos. Hey Ho......could I have left it, not sure, too late now anyway.

 

[TimG]

The July date is the date of acceptance, not the date of filling. The King's Norton filling factory was as different site to the cartridge manufacturing site and was situated in Abbey Wood, South London.

TimG