I am so confused over the markings on a WWI French shell, please help?

[Richard W]

Hi all,

I am a little confused about the markings/stamps on the base of a French WWI shell, is anyone here able to advise, please?

It is my understanding that PDPs means it was made in PINCHART DENY a PARIS, but it also has Rs stamped, not A. Rs, so it cannot also have come from Atelier de Constructions de Rennes, surely?

Further confusing me here is the SD marking, which means it should have come from the COMPAGNIE FRANCAISE des METAUX a ST DENIS, but how can it have come through/been made by two separate munition comapanies in France? I so confused.............

I understand it is a 75mm and made in 1916, but what does the smaller "17" mean, which is stamped nearer the rim, please?

Finally, is anyone able to shed some light on the number stamped on it too: the 2405 I 16, please? Am I right to assume they are the date of manufacture? 25th May, 1916 - and the "I" between the 5 and the 16 doesn't mean anything (I can't see that there was ever a "9" next to the 16, which would make it 1916.

 

Please help, this is driving me crazy, as I appear to have so many conflicting theories and companies involved here!

[mancpal]

I know very little about munitions in general but could 1916 be the original date of manufacture and 17 when it was re-charged.

As is common with me, a wild stab in the dark.

Simon

[shippingsteel]

I believe this is how the markings work on the 75 DEC shell case (75mm Canone de Campagne) but no expert here.! 

Case manufacturer = PDPs

Lot Number / Date = 2405L 16

Brass supplier = SD 

Cartridge filler = Rs

Cheers, SS 

[mancpal]

....... and the '17'?

Simon

[Richard W]

Thank you all so much for trying to help me sort out this mess of a shell, much appreciated. Do you really believe that the 17 stands for it being recharged? I ask because I thought that there use to be a mark - like a letter A in a circle, and then 'dot' stamps every time it was subsequently fired? Or was that the British forces, not the French?