WW1 cartridges from ww2 camp site?? - help on id

[harry211]

Hi guys

hoping for a bit of help in identify these cartidge cases that I have been finding at what I thought was only a WW2 camp. I believe that these are WW1 vintage but would be grateful for any help in identifying the headstamps. You may have seen from my other post that I found a Canadian General List cap badge , 1914 type, presumably from the Candanian Expeditary Force, so it's looking like this site may have seen the Canadians in both World Wars.

I was hoping someone could explain the holes that have been drilled/punched in most of the cartidges that I have found, even the unfired ones. Any clues? Are they training rounds or is this some way of deactivating them - though seems a bit of a laborious method to me.

Sorry the images aren't great but the wife has taken the camera away AGAIN, so I have had to use the scanner

many thanks
Matt

[Battery Command Post]

They are drill rounds, used for training.

Rob

[harry211]

They are drill rounds, used for training.

Rob

Thanks Rob

[TonyE]

I do not normally look at this section of the site, usually staying in the ammo part, but came here to look at Matt's .303 Inspection rounds and saw this post.

These are "Cartridge S.A. Dummy Drill .303 inch Mark V and date from 1917-18. They were introduced by List of Change Paragraph 18972 dated 10th March 1917 and they were designed to replace the wood bulleted Mark IV drill round that had proved too fragile in service. They were originally blackened all over as an aid in identification as well as having the cases drilled.

They did not last long and are relatively scarce today. The problem was that during night training they were indistinguishable from live rounds and some accidents happened. The Drill Mark IV was replaced in 1918 by the Drill Mark VI which had the case made of white metal and was fluted so was readily identifiable by sight and touch.

This is what the Mark IV should look like.

I can only read a couple of the headstamps which are:

G 15 - Greenwood & Batley, Leeds. 1915
DC 15 - Dominion Cartrdidge Company, Canada. 1915

Note also that most of the rounds have the original headstamp cancelled by an overstamped ring on the case head.

If anyone would like their small arms ammo finds identified I am happy to help.

Cheers
TonyE

[harry211]

many thanks for the id Tony - much appreciated. I am in the process of cleaning up the inspection rounds (but may take a while given the volume) and may well be posting some of the headstamps (in the ammo section) if I come across any different ones from the ones you have already identified for me. early results with the cleaning are mixed as most are in a poor state but have 1 from 1912 and one from 1915, both Canadian.

regards
Matt