shrapnel shells

[Guest John Williams]

Does anyone have any idea how many shrapnel shells were fired during the Great War and just to be difficult can the numbers be broken down in to their different calibres, country of manufacture and all that for all countries on both sides.

Many thanks,

John Williams.

[Aaron Nelson]

Hi

Recently read in the book, "Passchendaele in Prospective, The third battle of Ypres" that over 1.5million shells of all calibres were fired during this one campaign alone. Dont know if thats of any use to you, but if you want numbers for the entire war it would be in 10s of millions.

Cheers Aaron.

[Max Poilu]

I cannot give you a figure for shrapnel shells alone or ordanance fired by the other combatants but the 18 pdr was the standard British artillery field gun during the Great War.

If averaged out, for every day of the 1914-1918 war the British fired off nearly 65 000 of these shells (100 000 000 in total or more than 40 for every minute of the War).

The total weight of ordanance fired by the British alone in the Great War was some 5 million tonnes.

[Robert Dunlop]

The largest number of shells (of all types) fired by the British in one 24 hour period was over 945,000 in Sept 28/29 1918.

Robert

[Old Tom]

Hello,

According to Gary Shefield - Forgotten Victory, during the 7 day preliminary bombardment prior to 1 July 16 on the Somme 1.5 million shells were fired of which about 1 million were shrapnel.

Regards

Old Tom