John,
Left case
CAN – I’m assuming this signifies it is Canadian assembled ammunition,why they have done it, I don’t know (this doesn't fit into the normal format)
B2B – The first B indicates that the round is a full charge fitted with an HE shell, the 2 denotes the batch number. The second B is the sub batch letter indicating 1st, 2nd etc., lots of fuzes (or other sub-batch component)
CR/C – This is the monogram of Cherrier a Canadian Filling Factory. Cherrier was a subsidiary of Canadian Industries Ltd and situated in Saint-Paul.
1/45 – month and year when the case was loaded with propellant
NH – Non – Hydroscopic (Hercules and Dupont smokeless powders
The middle case
T5D – T indicating that it is a full charge with a practice projectile (weighted),
5 denotes the batch number of propellant. The D is the sub-batch letter.
CAN – as above
O (in a square) – Indicates the nature of the propellant, in this case NH powder
(this method was discontinued in the UK in Jan 1944)
What is missing, however, is the Monogram of the assembly station and date of assembly.
Right case
E82S (from what I can make out) – E indicating that it is a full charge with a piercing projectile. 82 denotes the propellant batch. The S is the sub-batch letter.
CAN & O as above.
The absence of stencilling on your CL/C case would suggest either the case was never assembled or was indeed sent south for assembly. Why the Canadians were making cases for the Americans doesn’t really make sense as by 1943 the War Effort in America was in full swing. Also, for the Americans with their industrial might, to ‘tool up’ to make these cases would take them no time at all.
RM/C - Robert Mitchell
Regards
Tim. G.