Cartridge ID for Vanessa please

[spotter]

Bolo received this email today from a member called Vanessa,can anyone help them please

"I have a brass artillary shell casing with really good info on the head stamp. I think it might be a howitzer. 4inch? 25Pr ECC CF 1940 V A 96 LOT 610 - 0 has an arrow HC in a circle 5/40 869 w6-40 Can anyone help identify this"

 

[Madbomber31]

It's a 25 pounder casing from 1940

Cheers Mad B) .

 

[spotter]

Thanks Madbomber,im surprised none of the cartridge collectors filled inany of the other details

 

[Quatermass]

25 pounder field gun case.

Metric designation 88 x 292R (i.e case is 88mm wide at the mouth and 292mm long with a rimmed base)
The Eley Cartridge Company (E.C.C.)manufactured the case.
C.F. refers to 'Charge Full'
LOT. is the lot number of the case.
5/40 would be the date of manufacture.
The other numbers are probably from the primer which would be a No I or No.II
Hope that help Vanessa.

Quatermass

 

[spotter]

Thanks everyone

 

[TimG]

The primer would appear to have been manufactured by "Hercules Cycle & Motor Co." of Birmingham in May 1940 and filled by Woolwich in June 1940.

Tim. G.

 

[HarryG]

E.C.C. is Edward Curran Cardiff
C. Cordite filled
F. with full charge

 

[tigbrand]

I was told years ago that ECC was as per Harrys post but have seen it listed recently as Eley cart company.When i scanned the web for edward curran it came up with a cardiff address,but no info was available,so which is it chaps?

 

[TimG]

Edward Curran - were/are bath manufacturers who had great expertise in drawing metal and during the Great War produced munitions.

Eley - I have only ever seen monograms for them as 'E' or 'EB' Whats more is that those were Great War markings. In 1922 they amalgamated with Kynoch and it all gets a bit hazy as to who they were trading as, I'm not sure they known as 'Eley' at the relevant time. Now, Kynoch have gone and Eley have resurfaced. - TonyE will almost cetainly know their history.

I have 'ECC' listed as 'Enfield Clock Co' who coincidently were based in Edmonton as Eley were.

To produce 25pdr cases you need very substantial presses of the type you would expect 'Edward Curran' would have immediately to hand. I can't think of anything off hand that Eley have produced larger than SAA. The Enfield Clock Co. would be a most unlikely candidate for case manfacturer.

Tim. G.