from basket maker to ammunition · pdf filefrom basket maker to ammunition carrier ... gun...

1

From basket maker

to ammunition carrier

Cartridge and shell baskets in W.W. 1 & W.W. 2

From basket maker to ammunition carrier

cartridge basket symbolizes the muddy

trenches and positions on

the Western Front

in World War I.

shell basket symbol of the Dutch basket

makers evading the labor

deployment to Germany

in World War II.

2


• British home front, cartridge baskets

• Ammunition supply chain to the front

• Ammunition limber alongside field gun

• The ammunition carrier as the last link

• Carry basket for 3 rounds 77 mm

• Shell basket for 15 cm howitzer

• Shell baskets made in Holland.

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• British home front, cartridge baskets




• Carry basket for 3 cartridges 7.7 cm


• Shell baskets made in Holland

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British home front, cartridge baskets

Appreciation of the Home Front and a call for the Western Front . 5


Cartridge baskets for use in the ammunition limber of the cannon. 6


House Labour. Applying a leather collar and pads filled with twisted rattan

cords for parallel stacking in the ammunition wagon. 7


Basket makers with moulds and finishing leather.

7 baskets formed one package for shipping 8

British improvisation. Baskets were adapted to be carried on pack saddle if the terrain

was not accessible for wagons.


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• The British home front, cartridge baskets




• Carry basket for 3 cartridges 77 mm


.

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Ammunition supply chain to the front

• A bare heavy shell is pushed into the gun barrel first, then

propellant bags can be added to increase the shooting

distance and finally, followed by a short shell case with

gunpowder and a primer in the centre of the bottom.

• The advantage of a cartridge (shell is fixed on the shell case)

is that during an attack can be fired in rapid succession, from

10 to 20 rounds per minute. The cartridge is loaded into the

gun barrel in a one-touch.

• After firing the cases and baskets remain behind and can be

reused if they are still intact.

• In the Western Front of W.W. I the terrain near the front often had become impassable for carts owing to mutual shelling.

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At the "terminal station“ the heavy English shells are loaded in trucks.

A shell can withstand rough treatment, except the fuse and the rotating band. 12


Transshipment of German shell baskets with 2 handles,

from train into horse carriage of the "Feld Artillerie". 13


1916 British "18 pounders" from ammunition crates

into compact limbers with a matirx of baskets. 14


1916 The British "18-pounder“ gun with an ammunition limber, pulled by 6 horses.

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1916 Unloading the cartridges one by one from the ammunition limber at a

British “18 pounder” stockpile. 16


1917 British soldier (with German helmet) distributes shells over an

artillery battery at Messines, Belgium. 17


1917 Canadian Field Artillery mules carrying eight

"18 pounder" cartridges to Vimy ridge. 18









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Ammunition limber alongside field gun

• The ammunition wagon of the French and British was a chest on two wheels. This was usually placed at the left of the field gun.

• Was the ammunition hit than their own ammunition could destroy the gun. The cartridges had to be pulled out one by one.

• The Germans could unload rapidly their triple ammunition baskets. The empty limber left. The baskets were kept in a "safe" distance behind the gun.

• The German ammunition carrier had a lot of dangerous walking back and forth.

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Early British 18 pounder limber. Note here is a leather closing strap.

Basket: New Walk Museum & Art Gallery, Leicester

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In the British 18 pounder limber for cartridges we see fixed baskets. Note here is no

handle and the slats on the outside are thicker where the basket becomes slimmer.

The cartridge is pulled out by the ribbon on the copper or steel clip.

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(MERL) University of Reading.

basket, L 58,5 cm

Royal Australian Artillery

Historical Company, NSW

Australia

Clip with ribbon


British "18 pounder Mark II field" with ammunition limber aside the gun, to fire

quickly. The baskets were a part of the limber. On top empty shell cases for

reload without clip. 23


French "Canon 75 mm Modèle 1897" could fire 20 rounds per minute.

72 cartridges can be stored in an iron matrix of the ammunition limber.

The gun was as a field artillery heavy, but could shoot the farthest 24


• German artillery battery with the gun “Feld Kanone 96 neuer Art”. The limbers were not lined up next to the cannon, but retuned , to a safe spot.

• Depending on the situation the ammunition stock would be closer or further away from the field gun. Nearby stockpiles means fast firing in case approaching enemy or as introduction of own attack.

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German limber for 77 mm cartridge baskets. 26


German gun. No mud and no limber, but an ammunition stockpile of baskets to fire on a

broad front quickly. 27








• Shell baskets made in Holland. .

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The ammunition carrier as the last link

• The ammunition carrier had the lowest rank.

• Much respect he deserved to get the ammunition during a gun battle. He had no shelter during his mission.

• There are two types of carry baskets for lugging artillery ammunition to the gun:

– For the handling of a heavy shell (15 cm).

– For the protection of long cartridges, consisting of a case which is clamped to the shell.

29


Silver Honorary Medal of the Royal Saxon Field Artillery Regiment No. 245,

commemorating the battle in a war that began in 1914. 30


German supply of ammunition with special ammunition baskets.

A German ammunition carrier could carry six 77 mm cartridges at a time. The shell case

of the German cartridges had the smallest volume, the firing range was limited. 31


7.7cm “Leichte Feld Kanone n. A.“ . English massive attack on Tourcelles. 32

1918 British soldiers on their way to Merville. 6“ shells with a

"lifting plug“ and cordage protects the copper rotating band.


33


1917 Vimy. Tall Canadian ammunition carriers could carry two "18 pounder" shells in

their hands using a temporary handle clipped on the bottom rim of the case.

Who was too short got four. This Field gun fired the heaviest 83 mm shells.

French soldiers had also no “shopping basket" for cartridges or shells. These shell cases

were longer than the German 77 mm cartridges. French ammunition wagons were

replaced, using horses preferably overnight . 34








• Shell baskets made in Holland .

35

Carry basket for three cartridges 77 mm Feld Kanone 1896 neuer

Art“. The shell case is small.

Carry basket for 3 cartridges 77 mm

36


The old type 77 cm shell case FK 95 alter Art, was made of very thin messing.

The 1904 new cartridge for FK 1895 neuer Art, needed a stronger case.

To avoid confusion for reuse the stronger case was provided with the letters "St"

as an abbreviation of "Stark". The carry basket for 77mm cartridges had also to

be strong enough to withstand the shocks in the ammunition wagon. 37


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It is a very labor-intensive stiff precision basket:

• Six oak profile slats guide the cartridge into the basket until the out jutting bottom rim of the shell case is stuck on the notches of the slats. The shell is hanging with the point downwards.

• This prevents kinking the cartridge and avoids blocking the barrel of the gun.

• Rattan stakes are "horizontal circles". The strands are "vertical" woven through it.

39


Iron black cover: AWS (Artillerie Werkstatt Spandau) 31

40


1915 Hannover, “Armee-lieferung”. Several production steps, from

bundles rattan to cartridge baskets.

Moulds for making and moulds for verifying the size. 41


• frame of 10 slats and rattan

• Rattan circles are "stakes“

• How was this expensive, labor-intensive, solid frame made?

42

Carry basket for 3 cartridges 77 cm

Rattan stake runs horizontally through the outer slats. 43


The two middle slats house two "staircases" for the long rattan stake. 44


Side view "staircase“ in the two central slats.

Spiral rattan stake runs through the slate up to the “next level”. 45


British soldier exhausted laying in captured German position

near the Somme. After a walk though the mud with his bike. 46

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END OF PART 1, W.W. I WESTERN FRONT









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Shell basket for 15 cm howitzer

• The German shell basket for heavy 15 cm Howitzer artillery with "windows" as handle was already in use in 1902 for the gun sFH02.

• The shell (without the shell case) was placed upside down in the basket.

• The basket had at the bottom a supporting spool so that the fuze was not bouncing on the bottom.

• The “schwere Feld Haubitsche 1918” (sFH18) was still in use during the 2nd World War.

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1902 Limber with shell baskets model 15 cm s.F.H.1902. 50


1913. 15 cm howitser, model s.F.H.13, on the right the shell basket. 51


The aim of 15 cm s.F.H. shell basket is:

1 - to handle the heavy smooth shell in in rugged terrain at the front and

2 - the protection of the fuse and copper rotation band.

When the shell is pushed hard into the barrel the rotation band prevents

the propellant gasses to escape past the projectile and it makes the shell

spin so that it remains on track. 52


Old type "Auflegeklotz". The color represents the shape of the shell

that will rest in the upper wooden ring. 53

2nd WW, 15 cm shell and a rusted iron "Auflegeklotz"

that has to be on the bottom of the shell basket.


54


2nd WW, shell basket with leather closing strap.

Shell on a chest for 3 “Kartusches s.F.H.18”. 55

Emptying a shell basket. Messing cartouches with lid filled with standard amount of

propellant and white propellant sachets to adapt the shot distance. On background

empty shells shot off.


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On the crate lid is written: Kart(usche) s(chwere) F(eld) H(aubitze) (19)18.

The "Kartusche" standing on the crates. Shells, 15 cm lying on a wicker mat.


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1936 Messing Kartusche s.F.H. 18,

reused with iron detonator cap 1943.


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• Carry basket for 3 cartridges 7.7 cm



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Shell baskets made in Holland

In June 1938 Dutch basket makers still delivered to their “Nederlandse Staatsbedrijf der Artillerie Inrichting”, rectangular rattan cartridge baskets

for the gun "Krupp 7-field" from 1935

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Who did not have work in

the Netherlands, was to

take the place of German

workers who served in the

Army.

“Bent u ook zoo gelukkig?

Hij werkt in Duitsland!”

“Mussert of Moskou”

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Resistance newspaper “Vrij Nederland” 15 augustus 1944.

Many summoned to attend the labor service do not appear. 63


• Imports of rattan from Indonesia stopped in 1940.

• Willow twigs from the Biesbos were confiscated for the production of shell baskets.

• Unemployment among the basket makers threatened by lack of essential elements.

• The actions of the “Arbeitseinsatz” (unemployment relief) focused on employment in Germany.

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Making shell baskets means:

“performing tasks important for the war“

consequence:

evading of the labor deployment "elsewhere"

(in German factories)

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Oktober 15 1942

“Reichszentrale für

Handwerkslieferungen” :

German complains about quality of

produced shell baskets.

Description of the specifications.

The points of interest come back. At

the next slides.


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15 juli 1942

The chairman representing ca 13 firms making shellbaskets, was personally

liable for the proper internal dimensions of the shell baskets.

To measure this, a mold was used.

Molds for acceleratet the production of shellbaskets had to be purchased by

themselves.


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Normally the surplus end of the willow rod is cut off the inside.

That looks better on the outside.

The functionality of the shell basket comes first. Loading and

unloading the basket has to be smoothly.

This wicker basket is woven with double stakes and weaving

under 1 / over 1 with two members (slewing with 2 rods).

At the level near of the windows the pattern is “English

randing (one willow rod is inserted at a time) The weaver

retuns at the edges of the window.


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Eye of wire in the center window is

not according to specifications,

and 8 mm in the middle.

This basket is not approved and

provided with a "firm-stamp".

In the middle window is the place

where we often see a closure

strap.

In Noordwolde is written instead of

a leather strap, about "caps" to be

provided separately from the shell

basket.

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Reichszentrale für Handwerkslieferungen: 13 augustus 1942,

control consumption iron wire

1 kg of iron wire is sufficient for 40 to 42 baskets.

“Eisendraht ist Wehrmachtgut. Der Draht muss so aufbewahrt werden,

daß es keinem unbefugten zugängig ist, da Sie (voorzitter rietvlecht

firma’s Noordwolde) für jeden fehlenden Meter Draht zu Verantwortung

gezogen werden.”

To be eligible for allocation of materials, the request for iron wire must

bear a stamp, or else the clause:

“Op materiaal-bezuinigingsvoorschriften gecontroleerd”

("At material economy regulations checked“)

Signed by the appointed

"Plenipotentiary for material savings" or alternatively yourself. 71


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Above the window we find the rim. The strands are waling

under 1 / over 2.

In the window are two bye-stakes inserted next to the stakes,

but however, they do not run to the bottom by.

This increases the risk of tearing off the upper edge..

Therefore the rim is anchored on 4 places by braidlng

around a stake.

Shell baskets made in Holland It is striking to see that there is no indication

about the plant material to be used for the shell

baskets.

Imports of rattan is no longer possible.

The unpeeled called brown wicker and skein,

(strip of the outher skin of willow) were again fully

used, but the delivery was "rationed".

De “Nederlandschen Akkerbouw – Centrale”

processed requests for the delivery of wicker.

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Shell baskets from the village of Noordwolde

were then stamped by the workshops at the

bottom with "RZ B1N" or "RZ Bln" incised on

one twig.

The "Heeres-abname-stelle Hembrug"

approved the top - and bottom of the baskets

and provided a "Wehrmacht stamp" of 12 mm

for which two adjacent well just cut stakes

were needed.


Stamp on bottom

shell basket from

Belgium: ?? 10 43

A shell basket was ready when it was provided with:

• two wire eyes in the central window of the two lifting handles.

• a separate lid (per 35 in a basket). (attached elsewhere on closing belt?)

• Four stakes at the bottom clean cut for two stamps.

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The shell baskets were collected at the railway

station of Noordwolde and stacked in rows so that

both sides (bottom and opening) could be checked

and stamped for the Wehrmacht by the "Heeres-

abname-stelle Hembrug“.

Beforehand, the baskets must be piled in a lot that

has double stakes, and a lot that has a single stake

in the window.

The baskets must be counted in advance.

Probably the shell baskets from Noordwolde left for

France.


remarks mail:

[email protected]

With Courtesy of:

Castle Donington Museum, Derby

Dorps Archief Noordwolde, Noordwolde

Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum, London

Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr, Dresden

Musée de l’artillerie, Draguignan Cedex

Museum of English Rural Life, Reading

Nationaal Vlechtmuseum, Noordwolde

Nederlands Artilleriemuseum, ‘t Harde

New Walk Museum & Art Gallery, Leicester

Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company, NSW Australia

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mailto:[email protected]



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