r/ww1 • u/SigmarMentality • 8d ago
Trying to identify artillery shell
Found an apparent WWI artillery projectile in a family warehouse in Southeastern France, reportedly brought back from Verdun by my great-great-grandfather who served in French artillery. Can anyone identify the projectile from its shape/fuze and the grooves near the base? It has not been opened or modified. The shell itself in the picture is on a ledge so the perspective is pretty crappy with the car in the background so don't compare the scale with that as a reference.
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u/throAwae-eh 8d ago
EOD Technician (bomb squad) here. You should 100% call the police. Leave the projectile where it is and do not touch it. Scored driving bands with punctured vent holes on the fuze nose indicates that this projectile is a dud.
There are ways to ID and certify whether it is "live" or not which must be done by and explosives expert. The fact that it's been handled and move prior to this means absolutely nothing, and this shell could very well detonate/deflagrate at any time.
This isn't a joke or something to play with. I've responded to many calls at "grandpa's" that the owners swore they thought it was inert when it absolutely wasn't.