stephen p nunn Posted 6 April , 2015 Share Posted 6 April , 2015 I recently purchased these bits from a café owner in Langemarck. The fuse cap on the left is quite plain with graduations from 0 to 22 and a cross. there are two pin holes in the top. it is recessed underneath with a hole in the centre. The one to the right has more markings: "No 101 II EP WE 6- 17 LOT" AND "RL 8/17 W P" and a few War Department marks. It has a slot in the top and a large thread at the base, filled with iron and a small hole in the middle. I think the owner suggested the first one was German and the second British? He also finds loads of these lead shot balls. Any thoughts about these objects please? Thank you. SPNMaldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 6 April , 2015 Share Posted 6 April , 2015 Both British. One in left looks like a No 80 fuse. The other a No 101? high explosive? RL = Royal Laboratories. 8/17 is of course date Der even marked 101 so I withdraw my? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyH Posted 6 April , 2015 Share Posted 6 April , 2015 Maldon, Both of your fuzes are British, on the left a No.80 and to the right a No.101. The lead balls are shrapnel, used by both sides, the British around 1/2" diameter, the German examples a little larger. The British 18 pounder shrapnel shell, contained 375 balls, there must be many millions still in the ground. If the adaptor can be removed from the No.80, you will find more markings Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 6 April , 2015 Author Share Posted 6 April , 2015 Thanks trenchtrotter and Mike for this great information. Best regards. SPNMaldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 6 April , 2015 Share Posted 6 April , 2015 If you have a magnet handy, try it on the shrapnel balls. I seem to remember that the Germans ran out of lead and so made them from steel from about 1916, so if any of your shrapnel balls are magnetic, then they are German. Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 6 April , 2015 Author Share Posted 6 April , 2015 If you have a magnet handy, try it on the shrapnel balls. I seem to remember that the Germans ran out of lead and so made them from steel from about 1916, so if any of your shrapnel balls are magnetic, then they are German. Bruce Thanks Bruce - just tried, don't seem to be. Regards. SPN Maldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 6 April , 2015 Share Posted 6 April , 2015 then they are all either from before 1916, or British.....or a mixture! Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 7 April , 2015 Author Share Posted 7 April , 2015 Great stuff Bruce - thank you. SPNMaldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 7 April , 2015 Share Posted 7 April , 2015 Are you saying that the Germans only used steel shrapnel balls after 1916 or steel balls were more common after 1916? There were at least 7 different sizes of British Lead/Antimony shrapnel balls. 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