Cheshire Steve Posted June 1, 2022 Share Posted June 1, 2022 Came across two 4.5 inch Mark 8 shell cases the other day in a junk shop. Black felt pen dates on the side were 1999/2000. Can't see a date stamped on the bases. I was unable to find how they got to be there - sounds like they were found in a shed clearance in Northwich, Cheshire. I wonder if anyone can tell me more about these, and whether there are other used cases floating around. Or maybe they were dummies or production test pieces, not sure how I would tell. They look like the real thing to me, except for a nylon plug in the centre of the detonator, so I don't see how they could have been fired. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 Noting the degree of polish I suspect you've picked up a couple of ex-mess doorstops/ashtrays! Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REME 245 Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 Have to be a Naval Mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretfixer Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 These are useful in the Hallway, as an Umbrella / Walking Stick / Cane Holder. I have a 120mm Cent Case to provide this facility in my Home. 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheshire Steve Posted June 5, 2022 Author Share Posted June 5, 2022 On 6/4/2022 at 6:43 AM, andym said: Noting the degree of polish I suspect you've picked up a couple of ex-mess doorstops/ashtrays! Andy I polished them. They did have some handwritten black felt tip writing on them but hard to make out. I have heard that shells like these have been used as ashtrays at a British Legion club. Could be they were put into storage once smoking inside was banned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheshire Steve Posted June 5, 2022 Author Share Posted June 5, 2022 1 hour ago, ferretfixer said: These are useful in the Hallway, as an Umbrella / Walking Stick / Cane Holder. I have a 120mm Cent Case to provide this facility in my Home. 😁 Yes, might do that, though will need to remove the detonator tube inside, and put something around the lip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretfixer Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 2 minutes ago, Cheshire Steve said: I polished them. They did have some handwritten black felt tip writing on them but hard to make out. I have heard that shells like these have been used as ashtrays at a British Legion club. Could be they were put into storage once smoking inside was banned. If You polish them, Then clear lacquer them as well. you wont have to Polish them again! 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretfixer Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 1 minute ago, Cheshire Steve said: Yes, might do that, though will need to remove the detonator tube inside, and put something around the lip. I never bothered. The sticks & Umbrellas go in and Stow OK. No need to do anything TBH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheshire Steve Posted June 5, 2022 Author Share Posted June 5, 2022 I found that RLB is Royal Ordnance Factory Birtley, Birtley, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK, but seems easier to find out about WW1 marking than modern ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 5 hours ago, ferretfixer said: I have a 120mm Cent Case to provide this facility in my Home. 😁 Are you sure? Cent never had 120mm and British 120mm, other than L1 used bag charges. 105mm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted June 5, 2022 Share Posted June 5, 2022 4.5 in. equates to 115mm and the T62 tank uses this calibre, looks very similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonBrown Posted June 6, 2022 Share Posted June 6, 2022 On 6/5/2022 at 9:50 AM, ferretfixer said: These are useful in the Hallway, as an Umbrella / Walking Stick / Cane Holder. I have a 120mm Cent Case to provide this facility in my Home. 😁 I have a 4.5in naval shell serving this exact same purpose. Swords into ploughshares and all that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretfixer Posted June 6, 2022 Share Posted June 6, 2022 19 hours ago, Adrian Barrell said: Are you sure? Cent never had 120mm and British 120mm, other than L1 used bag charges. 105mm? Yep 105 a necked case, is indeed Centurion. Mine is also stencilled 105mm BLANK. I have just checked my 'Stick Stand' in the hallway. It is a PARALELL sided case of 155mm Diameter! Please accept my Embarrassed Appologies! I had forgotten that I had changed cases! I have a good Excuse: I am Terminally Confused!....😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheshire Steve Posted June 7, 2022 Author Share Posted June 7, 2022 On 6/5/2022 at 5:42 PM, Richard Farrant said: 4.5 in. equates to 115mm and the T62 tank uses this calibre, looks very similar. The Mark 8 4.5 inch naval gun is actually 4.45 inches (113mm), though its a small difference to measure when the thing is slightly out of round anyway. The shell case dimensions match those I found for the Mark 8 gun, with 700mm case height (it seems earlier versions of the 4.5 inch gun used shorter cases arounf 640 or 645mm). Date appears to be 1999/2000 from the black felt tip writing that was on the outside (and probably the stamps on the base if I can fgure out how to read them). The one thing I think I have decoded from the base is that RLB is Royal Ordnance Factory Birtley, Birtley - which makes T62 unlikely, So I am fairly convinced what they are - though if anyone can decode the base stamps then that would be of interest. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordonb Posted June 8, 2022 Share Posted June 8, 2022 Others might know better but I would expect Birtley to be ROFB or ROF(B). Certainly in my day (1970s) Nottingham was ROFN and Leeds was ROFL. Gordon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheshire Steve Posted June 8, 2022 Author Share Posted June 8, 2022 3 hours ago, gordonb said: Others might know better but I would expect Birtley to be ROFB or ROF(B). Certainly in my day (1970s) Nottingham was ROFN and Leeds was ROFL. Gordon It appears to have been designated as the Royal Laboratory Birtley (or Laboratories) - I have no idea why. Search for RLB and shall case brings up several references, searching for ROFB didn't turn up anything. So I think its Birtley. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordonb Posted June 8, 2022 Share Posted June 8, 2022 See, I knew someone would know better! Gordon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheshire Steve Posted June 8, 2022 Author Share Posted June 8, 2022 46 minutes ago, gordonb said: See, I knew someone would know better! Gordon Ha - I know nothing - except what I found using Google! It seems to have been referred to as a Royal Ordinance Factory, even after it was privatised and sold to BAe systems, who I think closed it and switched to a new factory at Washington, Co Durham in 2011/2012. The title Royal Laboratory was also used by Woolwich, maybe Birtley gained it when Woolwich closed. The implication of Laboratory maybe being the development of munitions, rather than purely the manufacture. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 Site Name: Birtley, National Projectile Factory/Royal Ordnance Factory https://twsitelines.info/SMR/13373 Not just an ordnance manufacturer, e.g:- Marked on the bed: R.O.F.B., this 8 mm watchmakers' lathe was manufactured during WW2 in the Royal Ordnance Factory in Birtley. More here:- http://www.lathes.co.uk/rofb/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Hi Steve, I have two of these shell casings belonging to a sea cadet unit here in Liverpool, the tops of them are a bit bashed and i want to restore them and plug them. Yours look much better than the ones I have. I was wondering if you could measure the top diameter for me so I can get the two I have back into shape? many thanks in advance Paul Rycorft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheshire Steve Posted March 23, 2023 Author Share Posted March 23, 2023 19 hours ago, PaulR said: Hi Steve, I have two of these shell casings belonging to a sea cadet unit here in Liverpool, the tops of them are a bit bashed and i want to restore them and plug them. Yours look much better than the ones I have. I was wondering if you could measure the top diameter for me so I can get the two I have back into shape? many thanks in advance Paul Rycorft I measure the OD as around 117mm, but mine aren't perfectly round. Have yours got the same markings on the base? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LtGeorge Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 The IA stands for "Improved Ammunition" which I think would date them as later than 2000- mid 2000s onwards probably 4.5 inch naval ammunition | BAE Systems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony71 Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 Hi Steve I now its been a while but I my self have just acquired a 4.5" shell case, mine is dated GD 11/15, which are ink stamps on the bottom of the case, but also the primer is dated GD 11/15. Yours also shown in the picture GD 05/99, this is probably also the date of your shell case. The dent in the rim of the shell is caused when it has been fired and ejected hitting the covered deck. Youtube. All the best Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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