Not so long ago I swapped it and noticed that it was different from my standard sidecast ones so did some research and found it is called a centercast grenade
The base plug is marked No5 MkI 7/15 PATENTS 2111/15 24??/15 3559/15 MILLS MUNITIONS Co BIRMINGHAM
The lever is marked RDNo 646000
It is shown beside a standard sidecast for comparison.
Also included as a bonus an 18lbr shrapnell projectile dated 26 - 11 - 17
Centre cast Mills are quite sought after and about twice the value of a normal cast one. The 18 pounder if not a dug up are worth more.
Out here in New zealand all the collectors I know had never seen a center cast one until I turned this one up. A standard WWI No5 sold out here for $450 NZ dollars some time ago - that is 229 British pounds.
There is really a great deal of this military material out here including guns of all descriptions and indeed I have just found the whereabouts of several buried Boer War/WWI era Artillery pieces and recently in Dunedin city a 64 lbr Armstrong barrel and a 7 inch RML barrel were dug up ia city park!
You can see the condition of the 18lbr projectile - yes it will be dug but not pitted nor corroded nor damaged in any way - merely a brown patina - still with contents but fuse failed to set it off.
-- Edited by NZEF1945 on Tuesday 20th of May 2014 01:01:23 PM
You should try the BOCN Ordnance forum a really good site with many from New Zealand on there.
Many thanks for pointing them out. I had one bad time trying to register - their question 2 + 2 = ? Did not want to accept my answer of 4 and other questions it would not accept my answers either...it took me around 20 attempts before I finally cracked it...but got there.
-- Edited by NZEF1945 on Tuesday 20th of May 2014 11:19:06 PM
You can see the condition of the 18lbr projectile - yes it will be dug but not pitted nor corroded nor damaged in any way - merely a brown patina - still with contents but fuse failed to set it off.
All UXO collectors should have a copy of Capt. Bruce Bairnsfather's cartoon on the outside door of their collection rooms. All non-collectors should run like hell in the opposite direction whenever they see that cartoon
Deviating from my original thread - the photos show the 18lbr projectile besides Pom pom shell and also an 1899 dated 9lbr projectile which cost me $4 NZ (about 2 Pound Sterling) in a junk shop.
Rectalgia - the cartoon is nearly as bad as me taking the fuse of the 18lbr projectile but I have actually handled many such items so not quite as mad as some might think and YES I do know what I am doing and NO I advise others NEVER to touch these items if they are not thoroughly aware of what they have and how to treat them.
Can anyone please identify the right hand fuse with the wee 'hat' on top please! - I am guessing that it is German.
-- Edited by NZEF1945 on Wednesday 21st of May 2014 06:17:49 AM
-- Edited by NZEF1945 on Wednesday 21st of May 2014 06:19:21 AM
-- Edited by NZEF1945 on Wednesday 21st of May 2014 06:21:45 AM
-- Edited by NZEF1945 on Wednesday 21st of May 2014 08:11:05 AM
Does your 18 pounder dismantle all the way. Should be filled with shrapnel balls, a centre tube and a pusher plate that holds the black powder charge underneath, bit like a flying shotgun round. I think you are right it may be German.
That is as far as I have disassembled the 18lbr projectile so the shrapnel balls and black powder remain intact. The tube down the middle was filled with what I might assume to be oxidized remnants of the original compound which I guess may have reacted with the metal of the tube as it appeared similar to yellow iron oxide - it was non flammable and non detonatable so had no explosive or flammable properties however the black powder is still there and upwards of .5 pound weight judging by the depth in the shell.
Yes I do have both the expertise and knowledge to remove it either dry or to render it totally inert but have not done so. I am occasionally asked to remove items like these which turn up now and again and know where there are a large number out in an area where there is little corrosion and rusting due to the dry climate. Apparently there are also guns buried on the site or close by as well.
I also do not recommend any person attempts to play with these items should they come into possession of them and to attempt to render them inert can be rather irresponsible unless one is totally familiar with them and their properties.
