Whose balls are these?

[ubervamp]

Hi Gents

I was given these shrapnel balls by a friend who'd picked em up in a field close to the Somme, whilst on a battlefield tour.

Is there anyway of identifying whether they come from British shells or German?
I'm assuming there was a standard size? Or different sizes according to the size of the shell?

They measure 1cm across. Some are larger, but these show signs of impact which distorted the shape. Or later plowing.

Cheers

Colin

[tynesideirish]

By the look of them They are more than likely from the Marlborough or later Napoleonic era. Could be British, French or even Prussian.

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by tynesideirish

By the look of them They are more than likely from the Marlborough or later Napoleonic era. Could be British, French or even Prussian.

I wasn't aware this area was fought over in previous wars. Would you be kind enough to enlighten me as to who fought there and when?

[LONGSHANKS]

Originally Posted by Hussar100

I wasn't aware this area was fought over in previous wars. Would you be kind enough to enlighten me as to who fought there and when?

I think it's more likely, point to somewhere in France that someone hasn't had a punch up over the years......

Simon.

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by LONGSHANKS

I think it's more likely, point to somewhere in France that someone hasn't had a punch up over the years......

Simon.

I did a wee bit of trawling for information though and came up with nothing for the Somme area, not even medieval scrapping.

[LONGSHANKS]

I don't know Hussar
The Somme was the barrier to Henry V at the end of 100 years war, they fought all along it trying and finding a ford which led to the big punch up at Agincourt. That's just one. And I think when France was invaded by the coalition in 1814, they trampled all over that part of northern France on the way to Paris, causing the Emperors abdication.

Simon.

[LONGSHANKS]

But, overall. You'll never know who fired those above. They have been shoving crap down barrels since the beginning. Shrapnel was someone who turned it into a factory produced weapon.

Simon.

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by LONGSHANKS

But, overall. You'll never know who fired those above. They have been shoving crap down barrels since the beginning. Shrapnel was someone who turned it into a factory produced weapon.

Simon.

You're quite right. "Shipyard confetti" we called it. Anything solid and nasty which could be fitted into a round or IED. The navy called it "Cannister" and shoved anything old and rusty into the casing which is why it was sometimes called "Case shot". The round is still on issue to the BA today but just contains ball. It give a marvelous shotgun effect when fired from the 120mm (4.5in) tank gun.

[magpie]

Lighter british field guns(18pdr) have 41 bullets to the pound and near to 1/2 in and not properly round , heavier have 35 which are made of mixed metal(7 parts lead 1 antimony) with a striking force of at least 60ft-lb, I think 50ft-lb was considered to be enough to knock the average sized man of the time over.
Andy.

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by magpie

Lighter british field guns(18pdr) have 41 bullets to the pound and near to 1/2 in and not properly round , heavier have 35 which are made of mixed metal(7 parts lead 1 antimony) with a striking force of at least 60ft-lb, I think 50ft-lb was considered to be enough to knock the average sized man of the time over.
Andy.

They are used against helicopters these days.

[magpie]

That would be some clay shoot!
Andy.

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by magpie

That would be some clay shoot!
Andy.

aye. There's a clip on youtube of the Yanks doing it I think. I'm nearly sure it was listed in our ammo availability book as a defoliation round, being banned from deployment against human targets. I could be wrong about that though.

[ubervamp]

Thanks for your replies, guys!

On closer measuring, the undamaged ones are 1,25 cm, or half an inch across.
I have about 10 of these, and another half dozen found at Passchendaele. All the same size and weight?

I've learnt this evening that most WWI British Shrapnel shells contained half inch lead-antimony balls.

I have a number of Napoleonic lead shots, and though not consistent in size, all are a good deal larger than these.

I think, all this taken into consideration, there's a fair chance these are from WW1 shells.
Does anyone know what size the shrapnel shell balls (say THAT fast 10 times! ) the Germans used?

Colin