Shell Fragment (I think!) - Doiran Front, Salonika

[alistair_m]

During an extremely valuable and interesting trip to the Doiran Front, Salonika, my brother and I spent some time walking the trench lines, just south west of Horseshoe Hill, close to the village of Korona (Krastali).

During the walk, we stumbled upon what appears to be a piece of shell casing. It was sitting on the surface some apparently well shelled gravelly ground.

The fragment was extremely heavy for its size and curved in both axes, suggesting that it came from a conical shape. The material thickness is approx 1/4" and I would suggest an overall diameter well in excess of 8". There appears to be some kind of rim around one end, with a bolt head internally and threaded holes (possibly about 3/8") around this rim, separated by approx 2".

Assuming this is a shell fragment, and not a piece of old junked Greek farm vehicle, is this identifiable? The location of the find puts it bang in the middle of the British Front Line after the capture of a Horseshoe hill.

Any suggestions would be most gratefully accepted.

Alistair

[Khaki]

Hello Alistair

Without a close physical examination, I don't think that it looks like any shell fragment shape that I am familiar with, if it is indeed military in origin it suggests to me that it is more likely to be machinery related, ie., part of artillery mechanism or maybe even a tank or vehicle. But at the end of the day I am only guessing.

regards

khaki

[nigelfe]

I agree, not a shell a shell fragment, wrong shape, too big and too thin, and the edges are not those of something fragmented by internal HE.