QF 18Pr Mark 1 shells

[Alan1]

Here is a pic of three 18Pr Mark 1 shrapnel shells, fired, retrieved and silver plated. Presumably they were the first fired by a unit after issue of the new equipments in June 1904, or some time shortly thereafter. And, also presumably, they were used as ornaments in a Mess or possibly presented to, eg, the Commanding Officer. They illustrate the variety of ammunition available at the time. Left to right, manufactured by EOC, and heavily stamped as is often the case for this maker, and dated 20.7.05, P Co - the first letter(s) indecipherable, dated 5/1905, the third also by P Co and dated 11/1905. The fuzes are 80 mark 2 by Vickers, Sons and Maxim dated 4/07 and Royal Laboratory, 80 mark 2, dated 3/07. Shame the EOC shell is missing its top ring and fuze, and later corrosion indicates relegation to shed or garage for some many years before I had opportunity to rescue them.
Alan1.

 

[Darkman]

Maker P.Co is Projectile Co. Battersea, London.

They have been nickel plated (the chromium plate top coat not coming into use until the late 1920s).

The 13 and 18 Pr guns were apparently introduced in 1904, but I’ve never seen a shell dated before May 1905, or a No. 80 Mk I fuze before 1906.

Graeme

 

[Alan1]

Graeme,
Mny thnks additional information, so much for my silver plating theory!
Grateful maker's name, was indistinct on both shell bodies, and I thought that there was another initial before the P. Now I know that there is not.
Hogg and Thurston give date of introduction of both guns as June 1904, and Parker gives 1905 as date for the No 80 fuze: no doubt there were trials etc etc before that, but, like you, I have never seen a shell dated before 1905. Parker also mentions the well-known reparation paid to Krupp for license fees due after the Great War.
Pure serendipity that these eg's happened to be preserved, even more serendipitous that I turned up before they were sea dumped and lost.
Alan1