Old Wooden Ammunition Box

[Surpmil]

This looks just like the boxes the two wounded guys are pulling around and distributing ammo from during the Battle of Roarke's Drift in the movie Zulu.

Bob

And that's because the basic design was little changed until the end of the .303 era. The tapered lid apparently designed with so steep a taper that it could be hammered out of position no matter how water-logged or covered in dirt and dust.

The one I have here is marked as to be turned in for re-use, but this collection of the brass keys I acquired somewhere suggests either the boxes were getting burned or some thrifty soul was collecting the keys before the boxes were sent back for reuse. [Upon checking I see this box is not so marked - must have been another I saw previously]

Also have an old box dated 1909 which is quite different and may be a Canadian pattern.

[Sunray]

"...a Canadian pattern..." Everything used in 1909 was Brit. Ammo boxes are what's known as Class 3 stores. Non-returnable. The fired brass was returnable.
"...end of the .303 era..." The DA ammo we got in the early 80's came in a flat box with rope handles and in cardboard boxes. The "Not for use in synchronized guns" stuff. 80's vintage IVI came in light wooden almost car stock boxes. Cheap box for cheap ammo.
"...Zulu..." Greatest movie ever made.

[Surpmil]

"...a Canadian pattern..." Everything used in 1909 was Brit. Ammo boxes are what's known as Class 3 stores. Non-returnable. The fired brass was returnable.
"...end of the .303 era..." The DA ammo we got in the early 80's came in a flat box with rope handles and in cardboard boxes. The "Not for use in synchronized guns" stuff.
80's vintage IVI came in light wooden almost car stock boxes. Cheap box for cheap ammo.

Here's the 1907 dated box. I see no specifically Canadian markings, so possibly Royal Navy issue, as the RN and RGA were a presence around these parts pre-WWI

The previous box I posted photos of is a 1945 DA "not for use in synchronized guns" box also as per the last four photos attached here.

I wouldn't jump to any conclusions about what was what class of store before WWI or WWII on the basis of what happened afterward. I'm sure we all understand why.