Can anyone help with info?

[Gebbly]

Hi Everyone,

When clearing out my grandfathers garage years ago I found a "casing"? I  put it in a cupboard and didnt think any more of it. I stumbled across it again recently and I got curious. I wondered if anyone could provide any insight into just what it was or any details regarding it?

Dimensions:

length 1 foot

top diameter 2.25 inches

bottom diameter a hair under 3 inches

Indented around the side (as though someone had used a collection of individual letter punches) it reads

"FIRED IN THE GREAT WAR"

"1914 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18"

"TO GEOFFERY M WYATT"

"FROM L.J.H" (letters L.J.H in italics)

 

Then there are a whole collection of different markings in the base but I'm not sure what any of them mean. I'll attach a photo of the bottom and can take more if it helps.

I would be really interested in any light that can be shed on this object, thanks

Paul

In case it helps I'll put a picture of the full casing here too.

[JMB1943]

Hello Paul,

Welcome to the Forum.

I can only answer some of the easy markings,

R L = Royal Laboratories (Woolwich Arsenal)

Arrowhead in a circle = property of British Govt.

1900 = year this shell casing was made.

The experts will be along shortly to answer the rest!

Nice piece, by the way.

Regards,

JMB

[MikB]

It's a 6-pounder shellcase from a shoulder-controlled light naval gun intended to defend ships against torpedo boats. I think the 'N' indicates naval issue. The 'CFF'indicates it was loaded with a ful charge of cordite twice, but I don't know why they've been stricken out, or if that's supposed to form an 'H' for hardening? It's a similar case to the 6-pounders later used in 'male' tanks.

[peregrinvs]

It’s a MkIII cartridge case for the QF 6-Pounder Hotchkiss naval gun:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QF_6-pounder_Hotchkiss

Inspected and passed by naval inspector 6 on 11th April 1900. As mentioned, the same gun and cartridge case type was later used in British tanks in WWI.

[Gebbly]

Thats fascinating info thanks everyone! So I now understand what it is and in what weapon it was used :

MkIII cartridge case for the QF 6-Pounder Hotchkiss shoulder-controlled light naval gun

and you have deciphered some of the stamps. This is brilliant stuff.

The identified stamps are :

1900 : Year the shell was inspected and passed

4 : Month the shell was inspected and passed

11 : Day the shell was inspected and passed

6 : Identification of the naval inspector

R L : Royal Laboratories (Woolwich Arsenal) Does that mean this is where it was made?

Arrowhead in a circle : property of British Govt.

N : Naval Issue (so put together with the arrowhead I guess it was used by British Royal Navy?)

CFF : Loaded with full charge of cordite twice. (strikethroughs are a mystery at present, Maybe a H for hardening? Now I need to read up on what "hardening" is)

Is the "III" on the base what indicates it is a MKIII cartridge?

 

Can anyone fill in the blanks?

Other markings as yet unidentified :

.00

uppercase "I" in a circle

7

a square under the year

D

32

 

Thanks so much for the great help so far. I'm trying members of the family to see if anyone recognises the names on the writing on the side.

Edited 23 September , 2022 by Gebbly

[JMB1943]

Yes, made at Woolwich.

Regards,

JMB

[Gebbly]

36 minutes ago, JMB1943 said:

Yes, made at Woolwich.

Thanks JMB