4 in round ID please, british ww2

[ILH]

Hi,
does anyone know what this is, please?
Dug up today, by an EOD expert, somewhere in England,... but client confidentiality doesn't allow me to give details.

According to the markings that have cleaned up so far
it is naval?
4 inch
Mark VI, VII, or VIII?
loaded and refilled between 1941 and 1945.
other marks include Lot No.s, "WGB", "RCL 47"

We think it may be a barrel Proof Round?

thanks, Jim.

[AZPhil]

It looks like a recoilless rifle round. But those dates are throwing me off. I'll do some more digging and see what I can find
Semper Fi
Phil

[kradman]

I am thinking its this 4.7 Royal Navy round


http://www.cyber-heritage.co.uk/arms...ages/bomb2.jpg

[Sarge]

I agree, it looks like a WW 2 57mm recoiless rifle shell case.
Sarge

[AZPhil]

Just trying to get a little more info from what the OP has posted. You mention 4 inch.
Is that the diameter of the neck opening where the projectile would have been?
Semper Fi
Phil

[ILH]

Thanks for helping; between us all (several off-site people included) we think we now know what this is.... i just need to prove it;
One additional piece of info i've been allowed to reveal (client confidentiality is a pain sometimes) is the find spot = Woolwich Arsenal.

It started life as a standard shellcase for a Naval 4inch anti torpedo boat gun on a ww2 merchant ship.

sometime between 1945 and 1950 it was cut down and re manufactured with the perforated steel sides in the picture and stamped "RCL 4.7" (we couldn't see the decimal point at first).

We british attempted a recoiless rifle in ww2, but it did not go into service. This was called the "Ordenance RCL 3.5" (3.5inch).
since 4.7inch is equal to 120mm.... we believe this to be a protoytpe round from the development of the 120mm Battalion Anti Tank (BAT, WOMBAT, etc)!