TOPIC:

Neil,

From the dimensions, your fragment looks to me like the tip of a 4.7-inch QF Lyddite shell, with Direct Action fuze. For the Mk IV High Explosive / Lyddite shell, the diameter of the nose socket (threaded to take the gun-metal bush), was c. 50 mm, whereas that of a 5-inch Howitzer Lyddite shell was c. 36 mm. I have yet to find a drawing of a 4.7-inch Lyddite Mk I or Mk II, as used during the ABW. However, from a fragment I have here, I estimate that the Mk I / Mk II socket diameter was approximately 45 mm.

Below are some photographs of a piece picked up near Spion Kop in 1901 (with approximate dimensions), together with a 1916 cut of the high-explosive Mk IV shell.

I don't immediately recognise the base of your fuze - the five fire-holes around the circumference are something I don't recall having seen before. Lyddite shells used the "fuze, percussion, direct action, impact, No 13", which did not have these.

Neville

























This is the type of Direct Action fuze used with 4.7-inch Lyddite shells. As you can see, there are no vertical channels that would produce the pattern of five holes around the base that is evident on your example. Time and Percussion fuzes, which were also used with 4.7-inch shells, similarly do not have these.







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Many thanks Neville, this is the second time you’ve come to my assistance on shell frag topics. Much appreciated. Regards. Neil.

Hi; This is my first post, thank you for letting me join. My main interest is collectiing small calibre projectiles of the 37mm nature the older the better. Being in Canada interesting Boer War material seldom appears so this could be my only useful post, compared to the magnificent work already shown here. I noticed in the image above of a large collection of projectiles one that might have been over looked. Ths appears to be a Boer pruduced 1pr projectile. Casting by Begbie or Wright & Boag, the fuze by Delfos (Brs) Pretoria. I have put a Maxim Nordenfelt projectile beside it for comparison. Notable is the lack of the centering band.
One of these was found at an Antique show here last Spring, otherwise these mostly turn up in the UK. I had in the past seen an image of a possible Boer made feed belt of unusual construction as it was decribed, if I can find an image I will post it, but the claim is questionable.
G.Spragge








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The rest of my images - Apologies for jumping around, now
out of order.
G.S.








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Here is the rather home made Pom Pom belt. I cannot attest to it other than
it has been suggested to be of Boer manufacture -
In it's favour I think it would function, but were there shoratages of these ?
I have no idea where this is now and it was many years ago that I was asked about it.
G.S.








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Hi Gspragge,

Firstly, I am delighted that you have become a member and are contributing to this thread. I regularly consult your excellent posts on the British Ordnance Collectors Network when researching 37 mm projectiles. You are clearly the authority on these shells.

I have been looking for a Begbie/Delfos Pom-pom shell for many years, but still don't have an example. Maybe one day ....

Here is a photograph of the Delfos Bros workshops, with a display of the various fuzes, etc., that they were manufacturing during the ABW. What look like a Gruson and two Pom-pom shells can be seen on the bench on the right (next to a 75 mm Krupp QF round).



.Courtesy of the Transvaal Archive






This high resolution detail of the two shells in the R.E.E. Gell photograph shows the right hand round a little more clearly, and I think an upper centring band is in fact just visible.





And finally, I hope you don't mind me including this excellent close-up you have posted elsewhere, clearly showing the "DELFOS · PRETORIA" markings on your 37 mm fuze (courtesy of Gspragge).




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