help with battle ground dug Mills with strange copper ? lump through the side ?.

[eddie]

Hi brought a old ground dug Mills as it had this strange lump ? bit going through it , it was covered in rust and dirt but when brushed and cleaned could see it was like a copper piece through one side and out the inside , at some point someone had cut one side out to remove inners ? i presume as the lead plug base is stuck tight . the cut was not done with anything electrical as its a bad cut , not smooth anywhere but must have been done along time ago as it was very old rust all around it . I have searched the web and cannot find any mills with this lug? on the side does anyone know what it is or could be for ? . cheers
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[Millsman]

I would suggest it was a trench art conversion to an ashtray (or half way there). The copper rivet is probably where it was intended that a screw fixed the ashtray to a wooden base.

Is the baseplug aluminium or brass? Does it have anything marked on it?

John

 

[eddie]

Hi thanks for reply , no mark on base plug and aluminium , i did not think of trench art ash tray because it was still so rusty and dirty , but that would make sense for the copper bit . cheers .

 

[Millsman]

I've seen them before. They have a cut out similar to a Mills training cutaway, but not factory made. I suspect your one was part completed then abandoned.

The base plug is probably far more interesting than the body.

John