French/Russian/American 75mm shell ???

[starshell]

Hello,

Can anyone shed some light on this 75mm projectile insofar as whether it is French, Russian, etc.

The stamps on the body read:

C

(strange little monogram, an X with what looks like a 'C' either side with one in reverse). Could almost spell 'OXO' (!!)

En
WC
OB (or DB)

389
??-18
The little 'monogram' is stamped into the base too.
I'd be grateful for any information.

Many thanks in advance!

 

[Alpini]

Hello,

about the markings:

Fn = Foré, culot renforcé (drilled body with reinforced base)
WC = steel factory = David Colville & Sons Ltd. (Dalzell Steel and Iron Works), Motherwell, UK
DB = final machining = Dion-Bouton, Puteaux

 

[starshell]

Many thanks Alpini,
Always nice to know about the manufacturing background.
Would it be right to say that the raw steel billets/bars would be imported to France from the UK just for machining, or were they roughly turned, drilled or hammer formed before leaving the UK?
Regarding the date of 1918, could it be that stocks of Steel were low in France by that time late in the war, so other sources (ie, Motherwell) stepped in to supply?
(I wasn't aware that outside sources provided materials, but that's me being naïve I guess).
As for the monogram, was this a company logo or an inspection stamp?
One last question if I may: the reinforced base. Was this an improvement due to shells failing in the gun barrels (premature's) or a higher velocity charge being used?
Many thanks Alpini.

 

[sgdbdr]

In the french SIGFAB (AMMUNITION MANUFACTURERS AND THEIR SYMBOLS) 1980 and 2002, DB stands only for "STE DES FONDERIES DEGRO ET BONNET REUNIS"

 

[Alpini]

Yes of course steel bars or billets (or even completely machined shells) were imported by France in large quantities.

UK codes are starting with W,
US codes starting with U or A,
Italian codes starting with I and
Swedish with X.

BUT: French codes can start with all letters, also W, A, U, I and X. There could be max. three factory stamps on french shells:

steel supplier, heat treatment, final machining. If heat treatment and machining was done in the same factory then one stamp less was used.

The monogram must be a factory internal symbol. It's not part of official government stamping. But this all is valid only for shells manufactured by the private industry. Shells manufactured in government arsenals (ètalissements de l'artillerie) had a different stamping system.

I have no background information about the reinforced base (I think the soldered steel disc is meant). But shells exploding inside the barrel are mostly the reason for reinforced shells (especially reinforced bases). Maybe the experts of the Fieldgun Mle. 1897 know more...

@sgdbdr: I think this list is much to modern I am not sure but maybe I have the same (it's without any title page). I am unable to find much about Degro & Bonnet except some patents from the 1950's. Because it's a steel shell here ("Fn"-Type) I think a fonderie couldn't be right. Do you know any background about Degro & Bonnet? When it was founded for example?

 

[starshell]

Many thanks Alpini,
Very impressed with your knowledge, and grateful too. Thank you.
I'll look at this little shell in a different light now.....
Cheers,

 

[sgdbdr]

Alpini,

Here is an extract from a provincial newspaper (La Dépêche, Toulouse) dated sept. 1929, saying that this foundry is one of the oldest of the area :



But that's all I could find

S.