Hey Folks
I just returned from a Morning Hunt in a WWII camp site here in Far North Queensland and had some success ~
I dug a rimless cartridge case ~ The head stamp reads VE 3 38 D
I believe this is a French round ~ Appreciate confirmation ~
In the belief that it is french round ~ This would have been foraged by the Australian Digger/s who over whelmed the French Vichy in Palestine/ Syria in 1941,
Good morning Stuart_SS
Yes, this is a French headstamp. Your case was made in the third quarter of 1938 by Cartoucherie de Valence, using brass furnished by Société Metallurgique de Dives. Rimless? It could be a French MAS, 7,5 x 54. Yes, cartridges travel all over the world.
Thanks Mate ~ I did wonder what weapon it suited ~
I regulatory find European cases and Cartridges ~ I recently found Italian MG rounds ~ And earlier even a French Lebel casing.
I also found a live round in nice condition which I believe came form a Mauser C96 ~
A cartridge for a Mauser C96? That could be a daring claim. Headstamp, used materials… Posting some pictures of it can help for proper identification.
In the 1930s, the HM Customs in the Northern Territory were issued with C96 pistols ( ?New 712 or WWI capture?) for use against native pirates ( Javanese etc) off the northern coast.
All those spent cases maybe veterans’ bringbacks, or otherwise " disposed of".
No known French 7.5 from Indochina in WWII; the Japanese occupied it well before Malaya,Singapore & Dutch East Indies. Most probably Lebanon/Syria, and Libya for the Italian MG round ( I have some Italian 12.7 Breda links from there
( same as Vickers .5 Prideaux links.); marked “Innocenti”.)
Doc AV
Doc Av Duqjans Greetings
First the Australians were lodged in Tobruk for some 8 months ( i addition to extensive combat against eh Africa Korp and the Italians North Africa.)
It was anticipated to hod Tobruk for some 8 weeks but but History shows they held on for 8 months before being relieved ~
( We won;t talk about about what happened after the Aussies withdrew!)
But the Australians and their comrades made extensive use of massive amounts of Italian munitions and weapons ~ So i am assuming the Italian ammo came form there ~
The ,8 mm> round i found in a camp site ` may even be a Nambu ~ As it is has no head stamp I can only offer the specs~
So whether it is in fact a C96 round or a Nambu ` as there is no Head stamp i perhaps err to the latter ~
My bush measurements suggest~ Overall length 31.62 Base: 10.34 Projectile dia: <8 mm> Proj length : <15.30 mm> Case : 22 mm
Post Script~ " The 8×22mm Nambu is a semi-rimmed, bottleneck handgun cartridge introduced in Japan in 1904
Cheers: SSS
