WW1 No. 1 Mk III primer maker BK/L?

[Darkman]

I recently obtained this 1917 dated 3” 20CWT case, and it’s fitted with a primer that appears to have been both manufactured and filled by BK/L.

There aren’t any filling factory marks unless they are very feint, as there is another date that also appears to be 7/? obliquely across the maker date.

/L May be for London, but I’m not sure who BK is. And I thought that only Royal Ordnance/Filling Factories could manufacture and fill ordnance?

Any ideas?

Thanks, Graeme

 

[TimG]

@Darkman - Graeme

BK/L - Beck Engineering Ltd., Hayes, Middx.
If you orientate the second '7' (next to BK/L) until it is horizontal, there is what I believe to be an 'F' to its left.
This would be National Filling Factory No. 7 - situated at Hayes, Middx!

I think the second date is a faint and poorly placed date of filling.

Whilst the majority of primers would be filled at National Filling Factories, some of the big ordnance manufactures had the facilities to fill their own.

TimG

 

[Darkman]

Ah OK thanks Tim, it could be an F next to that other 7. Makes sense