Sectioned 9.2 inch Shrapnel Howitzer shell

Sectioned 9.2 inch Shrapnel Howitzer shell. At top are two 23mm thick lines in light brown paint. Also stamped in white paint is "9.2". There is a 45mm thick copper driving band at the bottom. The shell is scratched and corroded in parts, however there are still visible traces of original dark brown paint. Impressed into the steel plate disc is "SHRAP 9.2".

Shrapnel shell for use by a 9.2 inch Breech Loading (BL) Howitzer. The 9.2-inch Howitzer was the largest artillery piece used by Australians in the war, and remains the largest used in land battle in the history of the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery. Guns of different sizes fired a range of shells, including high-explosive (HE), shrapnel, gas, and smoke. High Explosive shells were used almost exclusively.

The shells weighed 290lb and had a maximum range of 10,060 yards when fired from a 9.2 inch Howitzer Mk. I. When fired form the 9.2 inch Howitzer Mk. II, the shell had a range of 13, 935 yards.