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As you might already have guessed, we have named our group in honour of Henry Shrapnel the inventor of the Shrapnel shell.
Henry Shrapnel’s Deadly invention B efore the adoption of spherical case shot in 1804 a cannon could only fire:-i. Solid ball - fired at below 4° - almost flat trajectory that would then ricochet many times. (gunnery tables would give ranges for up to 16) through enemy lines - columns or squares. Guns had to be in front of your own troops and near enough on the same level as the enemy. ii. Case shot - many balls in a thin iron can that ripped apart on leaving the muzzle - only effective at short range 0-250 or 300 yards - but deadly at those ranges. When guns were charged by cavalry, the gunners would fire case until the last moment and then shelter under their guns from the cavalry (or in a nearby infantry square). C annon could not fire explosive shells for many years to come. The primitive fuses could not stand the pressures of a long barrel. Gunners could often see great bodies of the enemy gathering at ranges they could reach only with solid shot - but at long range solid shot would not ricochet. Shrapnel found a way to get the effect of case shot at any range the cannon could reach.A s the fuses for explosives shell were at this time made of wood with a stem of gunpowder (like the lead in a pencil) and the fuse was lit by the propellant charge of the cannon. It had been found for hundreds of years that, in a long barreled cannon, about one shell on five would blow up in the gun or just as it left the barrel ! so long barreled cannon could not at this time fire explosive shell. (only mortars and howitzers could do this). Shrapnel’s brilliant solution was to have such a small "opening charge" in a thin cast iron shell filled with musket ball that even if the "special case shot" exploded in the barrel it did not matter. But with the fuse cut to the right length (or bored to the right length) the shells that survived firing would reach out far beyond the range of case shot (250 - 300 yards) to 2000 yards and beyond and then open and all the fragments and balls rush on with the speed of the shell and in the direction of the shell to produce at great range the effects of case shot.The army took 20 years deliberation before accepting the shell. It was adopted in 1804 and became a deadly secret weapon that even at Waterloo the French could not match. It was named Spherical Case Shot but ten years later after General Shrapnel’s death it was re-named "Shrapnel Shell" in his memory. Manufacture began in August 1803. Over 75,000 were produced before the end of the year! Shrapnel received a pension of £1,200 a year in 1814 for his invention. He was born in 1761 and died in 1842. Ten years later his family petitioned the Government to re-name Spherical Case Shot to the "Shrapnel shell" in his memory, and they did so. Back to the topSpherical Case, Canister & Grape shot Spherical case A thin iron shell packed with bullets and a very small opening charge, with a tapered plug fuse of beechwood. 20% would burst in the gun and be swept out like canisters. Fuse could be cut to reach ranges canister never could e.g. 2,215 yards for 9 pounder at 10° elevation. Canister A thin "tin" of bullets that tears apart as it leaves the muzzle - maximum range 250 - 300 yards - only useful at close range. Grapeshot A central pole and base plate. Large balls positioned round pole (sometimes with spacers) covered with canvas, bound and painted - chiefly naval and big guns. Once Shrapnel shells were adopted suddenly cannons were not limited to low elevation ricochet fire. |
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