D E C 75mm

Had this one turn up the other day and is what I believe to be a French 75mm QF shell case am I correct in this summation it is pictured next to a No.2 2Pdr with a 303 cartridge for scale. D E C ? meaning

I gather the 18 is the year it also has a very slight taper starting @3" from the case mouth I.D 75mm OAL 347mm Cost $40/Au which I think was a steal I am leaving the coating on it as its not to bad and getting it off will ruin what patina is underneath. Measurements are approximate as I just used a 300mm ruler.

Yes it's a 75mm French field gun cartridge made in 1918. I have a few of these. I will find out where it was made and let you know.

Nice piece...

Ok Cinders; here's what I've found!

DE C = Canon 75 de Campagne (75mm field gun)
ATE = made in Toulouse
345L 18 = 345th batch of 1918

I have a couple of nice 75mm cases and one that has probably never been cleaned since the day it was fired; it's almost black and is slightly bulged; possibly from a worn chamber.

Here's a photo of the first 75mm I bought that was engraved. Craonne ; which is marked on the top of the case was a village that was destroyed during the Chemin des Dames in 1917.
Attachment 87816Attachment 87817Attachment 87818

Here are a couple of French 75 Shell Cases brought home from France in 1919 by my father depicting the two major battles he was in.
75 DEC
ATE
703L 18 C

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...4i7ontuc-1.jpg

I have three more but they are not complete as vases.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cosine26

75 Shell Cases brought home from France in 1919 by my father

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Very nice pieces...

The "Argonne" Forrest conjures awful images

Another meat grinder like the Huertgen Forrest

Great to have the family provenance for those pieces. The piece I showed above has no verifiable history unfortunately.
On the lower part of the case is marked "Lucie", with hearts on either side. I sometimes wonder if "Lucie's" soldier boy came home.

French Ammo
The rounds in front of the 75 mm shell casings are:are for the:
Cannon d Infantrie de 37 Modle 1916 TRP. It is a 37MM an infantry cannon designed in 1916
One is engraved as follows.
A Castle with a banner at the top reading "FRANCE" and a French helmet in front of the castle. Around to the side is an inscription reading vertically 1914 A (very fancy) 1918

The second is the same as the first except the banner reds "VERDUN"

Both Rounds are INERT. According to my father these , were very popular souvenirs and many Doughboys were killed trying to disarm them.