Ammunition rack

[kerryboo]

Hello,
Please can anyone tell me the purpose of the small 6-place steel rack on the right? I bought it some years ago on a street market here in Normandy.
Many thanks,
Kerry.

[WWIIBuff]

I would say that you are probably already using it for the purpose it was intended, although for a different size of casing. It would be helpful if we could see more pictures from other angles.

[kerryboo]

Thank you, I will venture into the barn and take a few photos,
Kerry

[kerryboo]

Ok, I have been up in the loft, very hot and dusty with next to no light. Here are some photos, poor exposures due to the lighting, but I think they show what is to be seen. The 5cm rounds sit very loosely, the short rounds just drop down. I do not know whether it is for the longer round, which does sort of "sit", or whether it is designed for a larger round.
Thanks for looking,
Kerry.

[WWIIBuff]

Oh, it is made from metal, I thought it was wood. I have never seen a rack like that before, but it is really nice. Hopefully someone else here can identify it.

Have you also checked this website: http://wehrmachts.kisten.free.fr/

[kerryboo]

WWIIBuff,
Thank you, it is an odd one. When I first lived in Normandie such things turned up at street markets quite often, but these days it is rare to find interesting relics. Well, it is 75 years since Liberation!
Hopefully someone will know what it as designed for.
Regards,
Kerry.

[me6_130]

Might be a 6 cell ammo carrier for Kwk40 rounds in a StuG III. I've got a 2 cell carrier.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=919168


Carles

[me6_130]

In this pic you can see an 8 cell carrier in a StuG III.



Carles

[kerryboo]

Hi Carles,
Thank you for your input, it gives me something to think about and research.
Regards,
Kerry.

[WWIIBuff]

WWIIBuff,
Well, it is 75 years since Liberation! Kerry.

Yea, I was just there in June with my son and a few friends for the 75th anniversary. Lots of great stuff in the museums. We went to a couple I had not been to before. What part of Normandy are you in?

Might be a 6 cell ammo carrier for Kwk40 rounds in a StuG III. I've got a 2 cell carrier.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=919168

Carles

I was also thinking that it looked like it would be inserted into some sort of vehicle.

[kerryboo]

I am near to Granville, about 1.5 hours south of the landing beaches. Our house is 4 miles from Roncey, scene of the "Roncey Pocket", a real junk yard in August '44, part of the attempted breakout from Operation Cobra's advance.
I also thought the rack was from a vehicle of some sort, hopefully I will have an answer soon. I must try some other rounds from my collection, 5cm KwK shells are just too loose.
Just out of interest here are a couple of nice vehicles from the Roncey celebrations a week or so ago.
Thanks again,
Kerry.

[WWIIBuff]

Nice pictures, thanks for sharing. I like the camouflage scheme on that truck. We passed near you 5 years ago after the 70th Anniversary on our way to Lorient and St. Nazaire. I look forward to going back again on the 80th Anniversary.