WW1 shell

[rhodrivdavies]

Hi,
I'm a new member.
I have recently started work in France in a small village called La Motte au Bois, which is about 30 m north west of Lille and about 2 miles south west of Hazebrouke and 2 miles south of Morbeque( which incidentally has an almost complete WW2 V1 launch complex)
This area was part of the front line in WW1 and I have found an exploded 4 inch diameter shell case in a field in the village,
The marking on the bottom are:
arrow in a circle with a figure 1 in a circle below,
1916b
28106
CF
FVZ
18PP
There are other markings which are difficult to make out.

Can anyone offer an interpretation please.
Rhodri.

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

18 Pounder cartridge case.

Firstly hello and welcome !
The markings on your 18 Pounder cartridge case are as follows;-
CF is Cordite Filled.
1916 is the date the case was made.(not sure about the "b" however and suspect that it may not be anything to do with the date but is just stamped near enough to it to confuse.
18PP will in fact be 18 Pr short for 18 Pounder.
The 28106 will almost certainly be the Lot Number of the batch when filled.
"FVZ" may well be the makers monogram but I am not familiar with that one.
Others on here will I am sure fiill in what I have missed.

 

[TonyE]

18 Pdr.

Welcome and your shell case is pretty much as Chris has said. I have checked my listings and cannot see anything like FVZ. A photo of the actual markings would be a great help.

The only point I would make is that "CF" means "Charge Full", whether the filling is cordite, Ballistite, N.C.T. or whatever. The alternative markings are "CR" for "Charge Reduced" and "CA" for "Charge Adjusted" An additional "F" or "R" was added each time the case was reloaded. See "Explamatory Notes on Ammunition Markings, 1918".

Regards
TonyE

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Oop's !

Welcome and your shell case is pretty much as Chris has said. I have checked my listings and cannot see anything like FVZ. A photo of the actual markings would be a great help.

The only point I would make is that "CF" means "Charge Full", whether the filling is cordite, Ballistite, N.C.T. or whatever. The alternative markings are "CR" for "Charge Reduced" and "CA" for "Charge Adjusted" An additional "F" or "R" was added each time the case was reloaded. See "Explamatory Notes on Ammunition Markings, 1918".

Regards
TonyE

Thank you Tony once again mouth engaged before Brain!
Charge Full it is!