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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Headstamp ID


auchonvillerssomme

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J 15

VII

The J is?

Mick

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Its another one off an igniter

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Perhaps Birmingham Metals & Munitions Co

I was thinking it was from 303 Mk.VII ball, but I suppose the headstamp might be the same anyway.

Regards,

MikB

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Yes it is Birmingam, thank you, havent been able to access usual headstamp site. They used common cases so the maker is irrelevent. Thank you.

Mick

I mean irrelevent to its use as an igniter.

Mick

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I found 2 this morning, one is marked B VII 15 and the other J VII 15.

Nice little haul of them over past year or so.

Mick

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Mick

Although "J" is generally listed as Birmingham Metals and Munitions, it is really more correct to show it as Nobels Explosives, who were the owner of BMMCo.

Nobels had also purchased F.Joyce and Co. in 1907 who had a factory at Waltham Abbey in Essex, and ammunition produced there bore the "J" headstamp. BMMCo. (Nobels) also used the "M" and "N" codes for components produced at other Nobel facilities.

Which type of igniter is this on?

Any chance of a photograph of the case?

Thanks

TonyE

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Mick

Although "J" is generally listed as Birmingham Metals and Munitions, it is really more correct to show it as Nobels Explosives, who were the owner of BMMCo.

Nobels had also purchased F.Joyce and Co. in 1907 who had a factory at Abbey Wood in Kent, and ammunition produced there bore the "J" headstamp. BMMCo. (Nobels) also used the "M" and "N" codes for components produced at other Nobel facilities.

Which type of igniter is this on/ Any chance of a photograph of the case/

Thanks

TonyE

Oh Christ. Exposed again... :o:D

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Not at all!

"J" is shown on most lists as Birmingham as they actually managed the Joyce factory, so it is not wrong. I was merely exercising my right to be pedantic about these things.

You will also notice that since you quoted my post I have edited it to change their location from Abbey Wood in Kent to Waltham Abbey in Essex. It was Kings Norton Metals Co. that had the plant at Abbey Wood!

Regards

TonyE

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Here is a picture of the unfired case on the left, identified by the black staining. I originally used this to show the difference between the igniter and the special MG blank for the Vickers gun, with which it is sometimes confused.

The igniters were usually made from reject cases so are likely to turn up with any headstamp.

Regards

Tony

Propulsive.jpg

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