MarcHusk

According to several WWII Royal Army Ordnance Corps Regulations pamphlets from the beginning of the war all Cartridge cylinders, Cases powder, B.L. cartridge boxes, Q.F. (gun, separate loading) cartridge boxes, Q.F. 6-pr. (except tank gun), and steel boxes for Q.F. fixed ammunition (except for smoke or target cartridges) were to be painted in service colour BS381C-224 Deep Bronze Green and from 17 June 1944 the standard service colour changed to BS381C-499 Service Brown, although some pamphlets mention Camouflage Brown which would be BS381C-436 or BS987C-2. In WWII there was no such thing as Olive Drab used on British ammunition boxes. The only other colours used were Light Brunswick Green BS381C-225 for smoke and target ammunition, Signal Red BS381C-537 for blank and paper shot (gunpowder and blank cartridges), Post Office Red or Cherry BS381C-538 for incendiary stores, and Dark Admiralty Grey BS381C-632 for chemical stores. Wooden boxes were wood stained either Royal Forest Green or Vandyke Brown Wood Stain. BS381C = British Standard 381 Colour