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Stokes Mortar Fuze?
- Thread starter Depotman
- Start date
'
it is a Macalpine long delay fuze. Forerunner of the long series of Acetone delay fuzes in British service. Quite a rare item.
It fits into the fuze spigot on a Stokes bomb. Dates from about 1917.
The bomb fuze spigot fits into the threaded hole under the accession number. The hole is plugged. If you are familiar with the Stokes bomb closing plate you will be aware that there are two holes, one either side of the fuze spigot. The McAlpine fuze has a spring loaded bolt (retained by a pin and ring) (just above the FFE mark)which is released once the fuze is screwed onto the spigot. The fuze cannot be removed once fixed in this way.
The fuze was probably not for firing from the mortar (not absolutely sure about this) but for use in stock denial etc.
There are a couple of Patents.
The fuze was probably not for firing from the mortar (not absolutely sure about this) but for use in stock denial etc.
There are a couple of Patents.
Hello,
Nice device. A thread about it : http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/35084-230/page2?highlight=alpine
Nice device. A thread about it : http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/35084-230/page2?highlight=alpine
Many thanks for the info Norman; was the item ever given a Fuze Number, if not, what was the L of C number that announced its introduction/production/availability?
Regards, Depotman
In an earlier posting (which I had forgotten) I said by mid-1918 it was officially known as Pistol, Mine, Long Delay Mark I /L/ so I assume that it never became one of the numbered fuzes, I have never seen it listed as such. The principles of the McAlpine 'pistol' were however used in the 600 series Long Delay fuzes.
it should appear in LoCs, even if only declaring it obsolete. I will see what I can find.
it should appear in LoCs, even if only declaring it obsolete. I will see what I can find.
Thanks Norman - what L of C range have you checked? I'm planning to do some searching in them (L of Cs) over the next few weeks, so could look in the indices of other ranges.
Regards, Depotman.
I tried 1916 to 1926 using annual indices from 1916 to 1921. The ones I have access to 1922 to 1926 do not have indices (either monthly or annual) so it was a question of plodding through page by page. I might have missed an entry.