Tim Robinson Posted 9 September Share Posted 9 September Hello everyone - I have inherited what I'm told is a WW1 German artillery shell case but I'm wondering if there's any more info that can be gleaned from the inscriptions on the shell casing itself. Any help would be much appreciated - photo attached. I'm guessing the production factory was in Karlsruhe but anything more?? It's a big one - 5750mm long and 152mm wide. Thanks for any guidance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 9 September Share Posted 9 September Hi Tim And welcome to the Forum. I’m afraid that German Shell markings are not in my remit, however I do know that the Crown above the M denotes that it has been approved by the Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine). I will back out now and wait for one of the more knowledgeable Pals to answer your query. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Robinson Posted 16 September Author Share Posted 16 September Many thanks John. The casing is hung from an ornately carved wooden stand that is clearly Asian (dragons etc) so with your info that's its a maritime issue, I'm speculating if it has any connection with the German naval base at Tsingtao. Who knows I guess! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 16 September Share Posted 16 September Interesting conjecture Tim, hope that someone can add some additional “meat to the bone” so that you can continue to investigate the shells origins and the possibility that it may have come from that part of the world. Nice find if it transpires it is from the Tsingtao siege. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 16 September Share Posted 16 September On 09/09/2024 at 20:08, Knotty said: Hi Tim And welcome to the Forum. I’m afraid that German Shell markings are not in my remit, however I do know that the Crown above the M denotes that it has been approved by the Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine). I will back out now and wait for one of the more knowledgeable Pals to answer your query. John I can add that it was made at Karlsruhe cartridge factory in November 1899. It's *probably* a 15 cm naval gun casing for the secondary armament of a capital ship or main of a mid-sized cruiser. German light cruisers tended to carry 10,5cm guns around then. I'd expect cases for later, more powerful 15 cm guns would've been longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Robinson Posted 28 September Author Share Posted 28 September Thanks MikB. Online reading indicates the Imperial Navy was also responsible for defending their ports (in Asia at least) so my casing may have been land based as an alternative to being a ship's armament. The only inscriptions yet to be deciphered are the II and the 13...I can't find anything suggesting these might relate to either a ship or naval base identifier, I guess that might have been too specific a marking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted Sunday at 13:55 Share Posted Sunday at 13:55 I should also add that I think the use of 'XI' for month of case manufacture is also diagnostic of German navy issue, along with the crowned 'M' - a case made for the army would've been marked 'NOV'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navydoc16 Posted Sunday at 21:03 Share Posted Sunday at 21:03 With a board with dragons, it often had nothing to do with the “home port” of the ship. often as ships visited Asian countries during a tour, they decided to engrave shells and other wood or bone items as souvenirs of their trip or for gifts for family members kind regards g Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted Sunday at 21:28 Share Posted Sunday at 21:28 On 09/09/2024 at 17:18, Tim Robinson said: It's a big one - 5750mm long That is big. Nearly 19 foot long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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