Live 10.5cm shell head found on the beach in Jersey, Channel Islands
This 10.5cm shell head was found over the weekend by a walker on the beach here in Jersey. Yesterday we were shown where it was and promptly disposed of it safely. The brass nose fuse was in place and the head was firmly affixed to the rock upon which it was sat. Once our BDO Officer had fired off the charge to destroy the head I headed to the small crater that it had made to look for any remains. I could see absolutely nothing was was somewhat bemused by this as there normally is something. Scanning the area I turned and anf there in a rock pool some 15 feet away was the shell head sitting in a rock pool. Picking it up I soon found that it had a neat hole punched into its side by the charge we set to destroy it. The bang was not as big as we expected, and the reason for that is that the contents of the head had been wet for many years and turned to a foul smelling mush. Once inspected the head was declared safe/dead and was donated to my museum (The Channel Islands Military Museum, Jersey for display. The downside was that I had to carry it about a mile or so back to the car.
I will have to treat it for some time as it has been sitting in salt water since it was fired.
We find unexploded ordnance on our beaches as the German often fired out to sea for target practice, and shells hitting water didn't always explode. I find it hard to believe this one has not been found before as it was well in the open. But some people just don't bother to report items they find. Luckily this one proved to be harmless although it had to be blown to prove this and the finder did call it in.
Remember if you find anything like this its always best to call it in and play safe. A mistake with this sort of thing could be your last.
From where it was found it can only have come from the Fort Henry area where there were two 10.5cm casemates. The guns themselves were French ww.1 artillery pieces (Schnieder 105) which the Germans had captured and modified for use in fixed positions here on the Island. The German's called these guns 10.5cm K331 (f). The head had a weight of 17kg and a could be fired to a range of 12,500 metres.
Hopefully once treated the head will go on display later this year.
All the best from Jersey,
D.
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