This shrapnel shell has been sawn down the middle, showing how deadly it was, for there are balls of lead shot, with a diameter of 24 mm, packed above the explo-sive charge. These shells were produced by the British firm of Armstrong from 1868. Although the Royal Nether-lands Navy certainly used 18 cm calibre artillery made by Armstrong, it is not known whether the navy also used this type of shrapnel, which is of the same calibre.
1868
Iron, bronze, brass, lead and wood
19.8 x 49.2 x 17.6 cm
NG-MC-1281
Image and text courtesy of Rijksmuseum, 2019
Where you'll find this
Rijksmuseum
Permanent collection