Canadian? No. 80 fuze with original cover

[Darkman]

Attached are a few photos of my latest acquisition - an unfired Canadian No. 80 Mk VII fuze complete with its original fuze cover. (Completely inert with all powder removed and the detonator pellets not present.) The cover still has the soldered retaining seal intact, but has become detached from the fuze. These were peeled open like a can of spam.

Interestingly, the socket has no markings, which is unusual as these often have the broad arrow within the C denoting Canadian manufacture plus other markings. (However I have no way of telling if the socket is original to the fuze.)

As I have noted with other Canadian fuzes, the components appear to have been sourced from various factories, but again I am not sure if the fuze and cover are original matching components, or if some of the makers are indeed Canadian.

The fuze maker is "IMCO" and the bottom plug is marked "NE Co". The detachable strip on the fuze cover is marked "B.M.Co" (which I know is definitely Canadian) and the cover itself is stamped "RB Ltd". Are IMCO and NE Co Canadian?

Cheers,

Graeme

 

[TimG]

Graeme,
B.M.Co I think is Buckeye Machine Co. Ltd of Calgary.
N.E.Co - Northern Electric Co,Canada.
IMCO - Either Ingersoll Machine Co., Canada or Invincible Machine & Renovator Co., Canada. (I'd opt for the former)
RB Ltd - I cannot assist you with

TimG

 

[Darkman]

Thanks Tim.

This confirms that the fuze is also of Canadian manufacture as I was told, and lends weight to the fuze and fuze cover being original matched items.

I think "BMCo" is British Munitions Company of Verdun, Quebec, but maybe this is just "BMC"?
I have seen both on fuzes "BMCo" and "BMC" and I have always considered them as the same company. I wouldn't think that such similar and potentially confusing monograms from two Canadian manufacturers would be used. Perhaps one was a manufacturer and the other a filling factory, or maybe Buckeye Machine Co manufactured different ordnance components other than fuzes? Maybe one of our Canadian forum members can set us straight.

Cheers,

Graeme

 

[SHAKY]

Sorry I don't know RB Ltd. either. B.M.Co is British Munitions Company, Que. I also have here "BM" as British Munitions Company. I have a 101 fuze manufactured by P.F.Co. Would you happen to know who this is ?
Cheers, SHAKY

 

[TimG]

Graeme,

My initial reaction was that this confirmed the ID of the monogram. However, Munitions Supply in Canada (1929) refers to the manufacturer as 'British Munitions Ltd' some sources on the web refer to 'British Munitions Supply Co. Ltd' of Verdun. British Munitions Ltd was a 'National Factory' who amongst other items made fuzes. Finally, the full caption for your photo' is 'Soldering fuzes, British Munitions Company Ltd...'.
http://www3.nfb.ca/ww1/search-vis-i...ages&q=&id_film=538100&act=film&id_doc=595039
All rather confusing.

It is not unusual for companies to have very similar or identical monograms.

Shaky,

I think BM was a .303" headstamp of British Munitions, Millwall, London.
PF may well be Phoenix Foundry and Loco. Works, Saint John's, N.B. Their monogram was shown as 'PF' but they may have amended it.

TimG