WWII MKII Frag Crate with canisters

[Dirt Detective]

Hey Guys,

Thought you would like to see this grenade crate I just got. I already did a post at new acquisition's. so will keep these pics. Check out the thread..hope you like. http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/204147-rare-mkii-grenade-crate-with-all-canisters/

 

[Dirt Detective]

canisters

[timmymac]

Awesome! Never seen that many canisters in that condition!! Good find DD.

[12thengr]

Now you just need 25 pineapples!

[ordnance]

That crate full of tubes is easily the nicest example I've ever seen. Just outstanding. Let me know the next time you plan to fire up the time machine....I'd like to ride along.

[Dirt Detective]

Thanks for the nice words guys, I was gonna post some pics of the yellow tape, I didnt realize how long it was and there is info under the top layer. Some how I lost the pics of the tape I had taken before I attached back to the cans...aaarrrggggg.

 

[RobL]

Great score Mike! Just incredible.

 

Crate, tubes, tapes, even felt pads. The whole package.

 

This might be the Ammunition Supply Point that you dropped in on during your journey in the WayBack Machine. I wish that time machine had a bigger trunk!

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Rob L

[Dirt Detective]

Great score Mike! Just incredible.

 

Crate, tubes, tapes, even felt pads. The whole package.

 

This might be the Ammunition Supply Point that you dropped in on during your journey in the WayBack Machine. I wish that time machine had a bigger trunk!

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Rob L

Hi Rob,

What a great pic. I love these color life photos. I feel so lucky to have found this crate, at first I thought they could be your repo can's but I I looked closer and could tell they were orig.

 

On another thread a guy wondered what the story was with this crate and I thought the same thing. It was found in the basement at an Estate sale in Massachusetts, which matches the state listed on the box. I wonder why the guy placed the yellow tape inside the cans..maybe he was just policing the area..who knows, or did he do it for another reason?

 

When I first bought this I figured I could sell the cans and make a little profit but now I feel this crate can never be broken up.

 

Mike

[Johan Willaert]

I wonder of putting the yellow tape inside an opened and used canister wasn't SOP... Larger used tubes have been found on the ETO battlefields also with the tape inside... Might be easier to track the lot in case of misfire or trouble...???

[Dirt Detective]

Markings on the back

[RobL]

From: CO

SENECA Ordnance Depot

KENDAIA, New York

 

(before I plugged in that 'c' in Seneca, I was going to suggested that A O D stood for Arcadia Ordnance Depot. But I don't remember shipping this crate. )

 

Superb crate.

 

Rob L.

[Dirt Detective]

From: CO

SENECA Ordnance Depot

KENDAIA, New York

 

(before I plugged in that 'c' in Seneca, I was going to suggested that A O D stood for Arcadia Ordnance Depot. But I don't remember shipping this crate. )

 

Superb crate.

 

Rob L.

 

Good catch with the name Rob..I forgot all about the band that went around the box. I was scratching my head trying to figure that out.

 

I wonder if they stamped that with the band on it???

[RobL]

Seems likely. With the band still on, the missing letters and full address would have been visible to the shipper. The recipients at Seneca would have then cut the band off.

 

Looks like the lid says: 'Grenades Painted Olive Drab'. Never seen that before. Very cool. Since this was packed in 43, its very likely it may have contained early war yellow frags repainted in OD? Or the arsenal was just making it clear that these frags are now the 'new' OD versions and no longer yellow.

 

Also that this was packed before the use of the Ammunition Identification Codes were in regular use.

 

Does the lid say 'for 211 Field Artillery 1943 Training'?

 

All in all, a grand artifact loaded with character.

 

Rob

[Dirt Detective]

Top of lid

[Dirt Detective]

 

Does the lid say 'for 211 Field Artillery 1943 Training'?

 

 

 

Rob

 

Hi Rob,

 

Yes it looks like that is what it says. For some reason I cant post that pic now but will try later.

 

Mike

[RobL]

Thanks for posting the pix.

 

Also, I made a mistake in the earlier post where I said 'the recipients at Seneca would have then cut off the band off'. I shouldn't have said 'at Seneca' since Seneca was the sender not the receiver. Just lost my mind for a minute there. Sorry.

[glenm]

That Life magazine ammo dump picture is in Moreton-In-Marsh in England by the way. The building in the background is the old town hall, on the High Street (the old Roman "Fosse Way).

 

Cheers,

Glen.

[Dirt Detective]

That Life magazine ammo dump picture is in Moreton-In-Marsh in England by the way. The building in the background is the old town hall, on the High Street (the old Roman "Fosse Way).

 

Cheers,

Glen.

 

Good info Glen...Those Time Life photos are so cool.

[RobL]

Next time you're there Glen, kick around the dirt at the base of the tree and tell us how many discarded Ordnance lead seals you find.

 

I'm jealous.

 

Rob L.

[Dirt Detective]

Found another crate, not full of cans though...This one is marked for the M10A3 Fuze

[Dirt Detective]

This box is dated 12-43....4 months later than the first box.

[Rifleman]

Interesting that the first crate has slotted screws in the hinges and this one has phillips screws.Can't remember seeing things from that time period with phillips screws.When were they first used?

[Dirt Detective]

Interesting that the first crate has slotted screws in the hinges and this one has phillips screws.Can't remember seeing things from that time period with phillips screws.When were they first used?

 

Good catch..didnt even notice that. I did some checking..looks like the screw was developed in 1934...

[Dirt Detective]

Interesting that the first crate has slotted screws in the hinges and this one has phillips screws.Can't remember seeing things from that time period with phillips screws.When were they first used?

 

Here is a pic from Lex's site that shows a couple crates in a museum. The one on the bottom, I increased the pic and they also look to be phillips screws.

[oldabewla]

The Phillips screw didn't start seeing use until the 1950s

 

The old WWII military Harleys I restore have all slotted screws on them and no Phillips heads as this is correct for WWII production.

 

I see these WWII grenade crates with the tubes show up on ebay from time after time this is not the first I've seen on there even though they are super cool.

 

Great buy.