Product Description

This selection of original 20mm shell cases offers an excellent example of British wartime ordnance, each with distinct markings and dates reflecting their manufacture during the Second World War. The first two cases are stamped “ST 1943”, denoting production in 1943 by the Steel Company of Wales (ST), a known wartime contractor responsible for munitions and shell components. The other two cases are marked “BMARC 1940”, identifying them as products of the British Manufacturing and Research Company, one of Britain’s principal makers of 20mm ammunition used in aircraft and anti-aircraft weaponry.

These brass shell cases would have originally been used with the 20mm Hispano or Oerlikon cannon—both widely employed across British fighter aircraft and naval mounts during the war. Each case bears the authentic patina and wear consistent with age and service use, offering a genuine connection to Britain’s WWII military and industrial history. The clear headstamps make them ideal for collectors who value readable, well-preserved markings.

Perfect for display, educational use, or as part of a broader ammunition or aviation ordnance collection, these 20mm cases embody the precision engineering and mass-production efforts that characterised Britain’s wartime manufacturing. Together, they provide a tangible link to the air and naval battles of the early and mid-war years—one set from the height of wartime production in 1943, and one from the pivotal opening year, 1940. An attractive and historically significant pair for any serious collector of WWII militaria or ammunition artefacts.