Shrapnel shell

“ The segment shell is fitted with a percussion fuse, which causes it to explode when it strikes. In the shrapnel shell, the powder charge is situated in rear of the bullets, and consequently produces the chief effect in a forward direction. In the segment shell, the powder is contained inside the segments, and therefore produces the chief effect in a lateral direction. When the shrapnel shell is burst at the right moment, its effect is greatly superior to that of the segment shell ”

“ The noise of the shells from field guns is exactly like that of a rocket going up. When the shell is coming towards you, there is a sharper hiss in it, like a whip. It gives you a second or two to get under cover and then crack-whizz as the shrapnel whizzes out. ”

“ Shrapnel, especially when handled by the 'Soixante-Quinze,' which, in addition to being the best field-gun in the world, has the best shell with the best time-fuse, is more destructive against advancing troops than machine-gun and rifle-fire [Pg 307] combined, when it is rightly timed. Of course, it is far harder to aim exactly and to time to the second. A shrapnel shell holds 300 bullets and a 'Soixante-Quinze' can fire fifteen shells a minute. That means that one gun can send 4500 bullets a minute into an advancing enemy, the bullets scattering in a fan shape from the burst of the shell. ”

“ Shrapnel-shell or spherical case-shot is intended to exceed the range of canister, and is to be used only under the same circumstances, but at an increased distance. Canister is more effective at from 250 yards with the 12-pdr. howitzer, to 400 yards with the XI-inch; but beyond those distances shrapnel should be used up to 900 yards for the 12-pdr., and 1,500 with the XI-inch. A well-delivered shrapnel-shell from a heavy gun must sweep away the crew of a pivot or other gun, on a spar-deck not protected by bulwarks. The 'distant firing' charge is always to be used with shrapnel. ”

“ A chum of ours died here. We were lying down for a time behind a hedge and one of the heavy shrapnel shells burst a little to the front of us, the forward sweep of the shrapnel landing the bullets right among us. When a shrapnel shell bursts the bullets sweep forward and obliquely to the ground, having a forward range of three hundred yards and a lateral zone of fifty yards. The three hundred odd bullets of the German shell fly like a fan. It will be seen that a shell may burst right over your head without injuring anyone, but the men three hundred yards or so to your rear are hit. ”

“ When a shell passes very near to one its whistle increases to the roar of an express train, and when there is anything like a heavy bombardment on it is only those shells which pass dangerously close that one can hear above the general din.
More disconcerting than the actual burst of the shell is the ‘whirr’ of the splinters or, in the case of shrapnel, the loud ‘miaow’ of the flying bullets. ”

“ The shell struck one of our ammunition dumps containing about 50,000 rounds of shells and other explosives, such as rifle grenades, Mills bombs, French mortar bombs, aerial torpedoes, high explosive shells, shrapnel shells, star and gas shells. The disaster resulting from this one single shell was almost inconceivable. It started a fire that gathered strength each second, for all the world like a prairie fire, and the scenic effect was that of a titanic fireworks exhibition. ”

“ Inside the shrapnel shell was an iron bar with a flattened, broad nose. When the shell burst in the air this iron object fell to the ground and, since it came often from a great height, its fall was dangerous. ”

“ The midern shrapnel shell is better known as the man-killing projectile, and may be regarded as the most dangerous of all projectiles designed for taking human life. It is a shell filled with 200 or 300 bullets, and having a bursting charge, which is ignited by a time fuse, only sufficient to break the base and release the bullets, which then move forward with the velocity it had the time of bursting. ”

“ The only man of the detachment even partly exposed is the number one, while laying the gun, and in that position he is nearly covered by the gun and fittings. Common shell, shrapnel shell, and steel armor-piercing projectiles, have been approved for the 1101⁄2 ton gun. The common shell is shown in Fig. 3. Like the common shell for all the larger natures of new type guns, it is made of steel. ”

“ Shrapnel shell have a small bursting charge and scatter round bullets when they burst.
The men had become so used to these shells, that if one burst they hardly turned to look at it. Sometimes you would see a man screw himself down more firmly into the ground; but most of them took no notice at all, and joked amongst themselves or jeered at the unfortunate signalman, or one of the Maxims' crews, who happened to be in the open and had to throw himself on the ground to escape the flying splinters. ”

“ Shells are fired, shrapnel in some cases, explosive shells in others, which are timed to the second, so that when fired from guns many miles from the objective point, they explode at a measured distance from the earth. They are exploded within a gauged distance of the target, and the execution is done over a measured area. On the shells are indicators. Within the shrapnel shells are hundreds of small shot. As the shell explodes the shots are scattered over the enemy, and death and destruction are unavoidable. ”

“ Really, if you're planted out in the open, the peculiar awfulness of big shell-fire--what is it more than the peculiar awfulness of being run over by express trains let loose about the sky? Tell Don that when shrapnel empties itself over your head like an old tin pail, you might feel injured, but the big shell has a most disarming air of not being able to help itself, of not looking for anybody in particular. ”

“ Should the powder have become caked, so as not to be easily removed from the shell, it is to be drowned and removed by washing out the shell. A handful of small iron shot put in the shell will facilitate this operation.
117. Loaded shell are to be painted red and placed in boxes or bags marked with a red cross, which boxes are to have the lengths of fuze painted on them in black. Shrapnel shell and the tops of their boxes shall be painted white, with the length of fuze stencilled on them in black. They are to be stowed in shell-houses prepared for that purpose. ”

“ This absolutely new and original invention at first met the fate of many other new inventions—it was long disregarded.552 Not until 1803, when England was in grave danger, did the authorities bestir themselves about it: a trial of Shrapnel’s shell was then ordered, and the Ordnance Committee reported in their favour.553 How great an invention these shell were may be measured by their inextinguishable 212vitality: they outlived official apathy; they overcame endless objections; they survived countless modifications; they adapted themselves to rifled guns ”

“ SOLID SHOT CAST IRON.
CORED SHOT.
SHELL.
FIXED AMMUNITION.
SHRAPNEL.
Fig. 43.
[86]
Q. How are the interiors of shells coated?
A. With a special varnish furnished by the Ordnance Department.
Q. How are canister painted?
A. Black all over.
Q. How are shrapnel painted?
A. The whole body black, with a band of bright red on the head below the fuse to indicate front charge, or on the cylindrical portion of the body in rear of the copper band to indicate base charge, depending on which class—base or front charge—it is.
Q. How are shrapnel distinguished from shell? ”

“ As the war progresses the French tend to use more and more of these explosive shells, which are used against infantry in the same way as are shrapnel. The only difference seems to be that they are made to burst a little lower. Their effect is very terrible. A heavy bursting charge is employed, and although the fragments are small they fly with such force that they make fatal wounds and even cut into the wood of rifle stocks. I observed the body of one German whose back had been pierced with about forty small particles of a shell which had burst close to him. ”

“ Shrapnel shell (Fig. 2) is filled with metal balls, which, on the explosion of the charge of powder, B, are flung forward in the face of the enemy. Fig. 3 represents the cartridge, of cordite, used in howitzers. Both shells are here shown with fuses attached, which may be arranged to fire the charge either after the lapse of a given number of seconds, or on impact. The fuse communicates with the charge through the channel, C.
Bombardment of Fort Wylie. ”

“ It was invented by Colonel Shrapnel, R.A., in 1808. The object in using Shrapnel shell is to give the projectile at long distances the power and efficacy of case shot, and to cover a large space of ground with its effects. Against artillery it has the effect of placing men and horses hors de combat, which is the most efficacious way of silencing the fire of a battery.
Shelter Trenches.—Trenches constructed in the presence of the enemy as cover for troops from the action of shot and shell. ”

“ The enemy must have heard the cry for a dozen star-shells shot towards us and frittered away in sparks by our barbed-wire entanglements. There followed a second of darkness and then an explosion right over the sap. The enemy were firing shrapnel shells on the working party. Three, four shells exploded simultaneously out in front. I saw dark forms rise up and come rushing into shelter. There was a crunching, a stumbling and a gasping as if for air. Boots struck against the barbed entanglements, and like trodden mice, the wires squeaked in protest. ”

“ With shells it is a very different story than with shrapnel. One can avoid the latter by backing up against a house, but the shells are apt to push it over on you. When the deeper, heavier whistle of a shell is heard, it sounds a good deal like tearing a big sheet of cloth. Men do not brave it. They know its hideous effects, and take to the nearest cellar or doorway. [Pg 77] The first one or two that come in, if well placed, often claim victims. A group of soldiers will be talking or playing cards in front of a house. ”

“ The shrapnel, of which also so much was heard in the Great War, the terrible shells which burst a certain time after leaving the gun without striking against anything, took its name from its inventor. The chief peculiarity of shrapnel is that the bullets fall from above in a shower from the shell as it bursts in the air.
But there are many other names which we should not easily guess to come from the names of inventors. People talk of a macadamized road without know [108] ing that these roads are so called because they are made in the way invented by John M'Adam, who lived from 1756 to 1836. ”

“ It must have been a big howitzer shell, or perhaps a very large trench mortar bomb, which was making them. Gradually most of our artillery in the background to the left of us seemed to be converging upon this village. Suddenly, at a little before 4 p.m., there lashed on to the place the shrapnel from three or four batteries of British field guns. They seemed to be fired as fast as they could be served. Shell after shell laid whip strokes across the dry earth as swiftly as a man could ply a lash. ”

“ To shrapnel their thin envelope is as vulnerable as a paper drum-head to a knife; but I have seen them remain up defiantly when shells were bursting within three or four hundred yards, which their commanders seemed to understand was the limit of the German battery’s reach. Again, I have seen a shrapnel burst alongside within range; and five minutes later the balloon was down and out of sight. No balloon observer hopes to see the enemy’s guns. He is watching for shell-bursts, in order to inform the guns of his side whether or not they are on the target. ”

“ Very often, while you are looking up at a shelled aeroplane, the bits of shrapnel and shell are heard thudding into the earth all about. On one occasion my commanding officer and I lay on the ground in a shower of this kind, while a short distance away a soldier of another battalion was severely wounded by a piece of shell casing. It is strange that more men are not hit in this manner, and the same remark may be made of the few who are wounded in proportion to the number of shells poured over in an ordinary bombardment. ”

“ I have yet to find one in a man. For every three rifle ball wounds, we get two caused by shrapnel and about one quarter by fragments of bursting shells. We had a man who was hit by a piece of shell—and those fragments are terribly hot. ”

“ Shrapnel is very effective against men in the open but of little use when they are entrenched, for very few of the bullets from any shell will enter the ditch itself. When the British army first took the field they had very little H. E. Shrapnel had been used successfully in South Africa, and it was thought it would do in France. The proportions used were 96 per cent shrapnel to 4 per cent H. E. We learnt our lessons dearly—as we usually do—and in time we came to realise that for breaking down parapets shrapnel was absolutely useless. ”

“ This the Germans have learnt to their cost many times on the Somme.
Many efforts have been made to construct dugouts, reasonably near the surface, that would be shell proof. This is a most difficult matter. It is easy enough to make them shrapnel-proof. A layer of galvanised iron on the roof covered with a foot of loose earth will accomplish this for the velocity of shrapnel is not great. But with high explosive shells it is different. It was seen at Liége and Namur what terrific effects high explosive shells fired from howitzers could have even on re-enforced concrete. ”