Shrapnel

Shrapnel is the collective term for fragments and debris thrown out by an exploding shell or landmine. In the strict sense of the word, shrapnel is shot which is deliberately included in an explosive device, in order to cause death and injury; more loosely, the term is used to refer to any metal debris which is propelled by an explosion which could be more properly called splinters. Although the anti-personnel effects of burst metal shell casings had been known for centuries, the word shrapnel is derived from the name of Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761?1842), an English artillery officer, whose experiments - initially conducted in his own time, and at his own expense - designed a shell specifically for the purpose.

The Shrapnel shell

In 1784 Lieutenant Shrapnel began the course to develop an antipersonnel weapon. At the time artillery could use "canister" or "case," to defend themselves from infantry or cavalry attack. Instead of a cannonball a tin container filled with small iron balls was loaded. When fired, the container burst open at the muzzle, giving the effect of an oversized shotgun shell. At ranges of up to 300 m canister could cause heavy casualties. At longer ranges, common shell - hollow cast iron spheres filled with gunpowder - was used, although with more of a concussive than a fragmentation effect. Shrapnel's innovation was to combine the fragmentation properties of canister with a delayed-action fuse to take the effect to the enemy at a distance. His shell was a hollow cast-iron spheres filled with a mixture of balls and powder, with a crude time fuse. If the fuse was set correctly then the shell would break open, releasing its contents (musket balls) which would carry on with the "remaining velocity" of the shell. The explosive charge in the shell was to be just enough to break the casing rather than scatter the shot in all directions. As such his invention increased the effective range of case from 300 to about 1100 m. He called his device 'spherical case' but in time it came to be called after him; a position formalised in 1852 by the Government.

Related Topics:
1784 - Antipersonnel - Infantry - Cavalry - Shotgun - M - Gunpowder - Fuse - Musket

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It took until 1803 for the British artillery to adopt it albeit with great enthusiasm when it did. Shrapnel was promoted to Major in the same year. The Duke of Wellington used it beginning in 1808 against Napoleon, including the Battle of Waterloo, and wrote admiringly of its effectiveness.

Related Topics:
1803 - Major - The Duke of Wellington - 1808 - Napoleon - Battle of Waterloo

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The design was improved by Captain E M Boxer RA in the 1840s and crossed over when cylindrical shells for rifled guns were introduced.

Related Topics:
E M Boxer - 1840s

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