TOPIC:

Good morning. I recently came into possession of a collection of fragments that the former owner of the farm on which the battlefield is located, had accumulated over the years. Most of the fragments are your typical Pom Pom and Shrapnel shell type relics. The Shell fragment pictured below is not something I am at all familiar with and would appreciate any assistance anyone can offer. There are very few markings apart from the two pictured on the base and another "marking" between the base and the drive band, which I cant make out. I would value any assistance or comment that anyone may make. If any further dimensions or angles are required, I can easily provide them.
Many thanks
Neil













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Very interesting fragment, Neil.

The inspection/factory marks are identical to those seen on some Krupp 75mm BL shells. From the calibre, it must therefore have been fired by one of the Boer 120mm QF Howitzers.










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Neil, that's very interesting to see. As far as I am aware, the Staatsartillerie had 4 of these 120-mm Krupp howitzers, only one of which, I think, was in the Tugela line. I hope Neville won't mind me posting a copy of his photo of the howitzer.
That howitzer was under command of "Lood" Pretorius and it was used to fire the signal shot to begin the battle of Colenso.
However, I am pretty confident it didn't move to the upper Tugela, and was not involved in Spioenkop itself.
Rather than on Spioenkop, I think your fragment was quite likely picked up in Colenso, or the area between Colenso and Ladysmith, or in Ladysmith itself. It's a lovely object!

Rob

Hi Neville. thanks so much for your response. You've come to my rescue yet again. as you say, the markings are exactly the same. thank you very much.

Hi Rob.
thank you very much for the info and pics as well. all very useful indeed. I am particularly perplexed by the location it was found. The person I acquired it from, is in his late 70's I would guess, and he was the last generation of the family that farmed that specific farm before it was sold to the current owners. His family owned the farm for a couple of generations before him and he specifically says that all of the items that he had, were picked up by either himself or his father, either on, or in the immediate environs of the Kop itself. Neither the former owner nor his father were collectors per se and only picked up bits and pieces as they came upon them, (including masses of shrapnel balls), in the veldt. I will double check with him again, and post his response if there is an explanation. thanks again for your input. regards. Neil.

Neil,

This is a drawing of one of the common shells found in the limber of No. 1 Gun when it was captured, and which was included in the Ordnance Committee Report of July 1902. For full report see HERE. Your fragment is, as I’m sure you are aware, a piece of common shell (rather than shrapnel, which had much thinner walls).

You will notice that the markings on the base of the projectile are identical to those on your fragment. This is hardly surprising, as No. 1 Gun was the piece that saw action on the Tugela and which fired your shell.



.Courtesy of Tyne & Wear Archives.







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