Countrygal Posted 17 November , 2008 Share Posted 17 November , 2008 I found theses shell casings with my grandfathers WW1 memorabilia – any idea what they where fired from? Thanks for any help... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Countrygal Posted 17 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 17 November , 2008 Here are the casings all together - ends up Hope this picture will work better also they are about 9.2 cm long (from under lip to open end) and about 3.5 cm in diameter Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 17 November , 2008 Share Posted 17 November , 2008 They are German 37mm cannon. The famous Pom Pom. Here's a photo of the complete shell including a cutaway version. Gunner Bailey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Countrygal Posted 17 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 17 November , 2008 Thanks so much ... any chance you can help with this grenade It was re-painted black a few years back. Marni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 17 November , 2008 Share Posted 17 November , 2008 Easy one It's a British Mills 36 M Mk 1 from WW2. Lever made by Chatco, baseplug by S Joseph Stokes. Nice condition, but looks to be missing the striker, which would normally poke out of the hole in the top and engage with the lever. Gunner Bailey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Countrygal Posted 17 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 17 November , 2008 There is something that rattles inside, we believe might be the striker - but we are not to sure how to get it out… if it is at all possible without damaging it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Countrygal Posted 18 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 18 November , 2008 What would this 37 mm cannon look like? was it used on land or air or both...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 18 November , 2008 Share Posted 18 November , 2008 What would this 37 mm cannon look like? was it used on land or air or both...? The 37mm Cannon was a land and ship based gun. Too big for the aircraft of the time. There are photos of them on this forum if you do a search on Pom Pom or 37mm. They were made before aircraft were invented but became a useful anti aircraft gun. The 37mm shell and cases were one of the most popular souvenires brought back as they were very portable. The thing rattling inside the Mills may well be the striker and spring. Access is via the base plug. There should also be an aluminium sleeve in there called the centrepiece. This is where the spring and striker live Follow this link to see how they work. http://science.howstuffworks.com/grenade2.htm If they are there you will need a screwdriver to push the striker and spring back into place with the striker top coming out the top of the grenade. There it links into the lever and the whole lit is held in place by a 2mm diameter split pin. PM me if you need more help. Gunner Bailey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_g_4472 Posted 18 November , 2008 Share Posted 18 November , 2008 Re the shell cases, are the years at the right-hand side the year of manufacture? If so, then the case bottom right was in store from 1897. Or would it have been re-used several times perhaps? Re this latter date, why is the Mark number (IX) this high, when the case made in 1904 is only Mark VIII? John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 18 November , 2008 Share Posted 18 November , 2008 The Roman numbers are not mark numbers but the month of manufacture, in this case September and August. Three of them have been reloaded at least once, indicated by the punch mark on the head, and the same three were all German Navy issue as shown by the crowned "M" (Marinen) in the headstamp. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_g_4472 Posted 18 November , 2008 Share Posted 18 November , 2008 Tony, many thanks for the elucidation. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Countrygal Posted 18 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 18 November , 2008 Thanks so much -- I have had these for quite some time and knew nothing about them except they were casings and from WW1. When looking into my grandfathers WW1 records I have also dug these out and it added to our curiosity. I have one last casing that is very large, (well I think it is) 23 cm long – 7.5 cm in diameter. Someone made them into souvenirs waiting for their return to Canada. This long bar like object has always been inside -- any idea if it actually has anything to do with this casing? Marni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey McLean Posted 18 November , 2008 Share Posted 18 November , 2008 Thanks so much -- I have had these for quite some time and knew nothing about them except they were casings and from WW1. When looking into my grandfathers WW1 records I have also dug these out and it added to our curiosity. I have one last casing that is very large, (well I think it is) 23 cm long – 7.5 cm in diameter. Someone made them into souvenirs waiting for their return to Canada. This long bar like object has always been inside -- any idea if it actually has anything to do with this casing? Marni Hello, Marni - The long bar-like object is a device used for polishing buttons. The button goes into the center slot and can be polished without getting the cloth dirty. Regards, Torrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 18 November , 2008 Share Posted 18 November , 2008 Marni The 'trophy' is a nice quality piece of Trench art made from a German shell case. It looks a bit long for a standard 77mm shell, but it is unusual. I have a similar piece, but yours looks to be better quality than mine. The button polisher is a very basic one. There are more elaborate ones with half moon cut outs. Gunner Bailey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Countrygal Posted 19 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 19 November , 2008 I have sent a better picture of the end identifications. Does anyone have any idea what might have fired this shell? As a whole piece it must have been rather large. Thanks, Marni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrey McLean Posted 19 November , 2008 Share Posted 19 November , 2008 I have sent a better picture of the end identifications. Does anyone have any idea what might have fired this shell? As a whole piece it must have been rather large. Thanks, Marni Hello, Marni - This is a 77mm shell case for the German 77mm FK 96 n/A field gun - the most common artillery piece in the German Army during WWI. The shell case's original dimensions were 77mm x 230mm. Regards, Torrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now