Artillery Shell Identifications

[jtysonm]

Good Morning,

I am looking for some help identifying three shells and what weapons they would have been used in.

1. 774 15cm M14 V BERNDOR

2. 280 POLTF MARZ 1916 MAGDEBURG SP252

3. 31 Patronenfabrik Karlsruhe AUG 1918 sp255

Thanks in advance.

[Alexander McLean]

Hello, jtysonm -

The shortest shell case shown in the two bottom photos is an Austrian 150mm shell case (made by Berndorf) for the M-14 Austrian 15cm howitzer.  If the length is approximately 220mm, it is referred to by collectors as a 150x220.  A four-digit WWI-period date should be visible.

The other two shell cases are German WWI (made in 1916 and 1918), used by long-range artillery.  If you can measure (in mm) the lengths and also the width at the mouths, we should be able to determine the proper identification.

Regards, Torrey

 

[jtysonm]

Hi Torrey,

Thank you for the information. It is much appreciated. My Great Grandfather served in WWI, but these have never been identified.

For the other two shells the measurements are as follows.

Images 1 & 2: Length 705mm Width: 140mm

Images 3 & 4: Length: 505mm Width: 105mm

Thanks again.

[Alexander McLean]

Hello, jtysonm -

The top two images are of a 130x705 shell case for the 13cm FK ("field cannon") long-range artillery piece.  It was manufactured in August 1918 at the Patronenfabrik Karlsruhe in Karlsruhe.

The middle two images are of a 105x505 shell case for the 10cm K04/14 (cannon model 1904/1914) long-range artillery piece.  It was manufactured in March 1918 at Polte Works in Magdeburg.  The majority of 105x505 shell cases include the word "Karth." along with the other information stamped on the base; the lack of "Karth." on yours makes it a bit more valuable.  [I have not read anything that specifically defines this marking or explains why most such shell cases have the marking and others do not.]

Both are nice examples of WWI German long-range artillery shell cases.  The 130x705 shell case is the rarer and more valuable of the two, while the Austrian 150x220 is relatively scarce in the USA but more common in Europe.

Regards, Torrey

 

 

[jtysonm]

Thanks Torrey.

I am located in Canada and recently inherited a bunch of my Great Grand Fathers artifacts from WWI. Thanks again for all this information. It is very helpful and appreciated.

What type of ammunition would these shells be related to? high explosive,  fragmentation, etc. 

There seems to be plenty on information on the M-14 Austrian 15cm howitzer and the 10cm K04/14.

Do you have more information on the 13cm FK, is this the 13.5cm Kanone 09? Any resources you should suggest for someone interested in learning about WWI Artillery.

Thanks,

Jarrett

 

[Alexander McLean]

Hello, Jarrett -

I'm pleased that the information was of some help.  German WWI artillery is a complicated and interesting subject - at least to me - and I don't know very much about it.  The only two really good published sources that I have are Herbert Jager's GERMAN ARTILLERY OF WORLD WAR ONE (The Crowood Press, 2001) and Wolfgang Fleischer's GERMAN ARTILLERY 1914-1918 (Pen & Sword Military, 2015).  Both of these publications have some information about the 13cm FK.

I don't know anything about the 13.5cm Kanone 09, but it may have been the first version of the 13cm FK.

I doubt that different shell cases were used for high explosive, shrapnel, gas, or other projectiles.  After all, the differences were in the projectiles.

I'm not aware of any good reference publications about shell cases themselves, which is unfortunate.  What I know about shell cases was provided by information kindly shared by collectors in the Netherlands and France.  I hope that one or more of those advanced collectors will publish a good book in the future.

Regards, Torrey

 

 

[jtysonm]

Hi Torrey,

Thanks for the book suggestions, I have seen them online.

Thinking about it further, your point about projectiles and shell cases is most likely correct.

I will continue my reading and learning for now.

Thanks again for all the help,

Jarrett