Man machining 8-inch howitzer shells during WWI manufacturing
Canada, History, Military

Video: Manufacturing an Eight Inch High Explosive Howitzer Shell Circa 1917 – Shows a Ton of Machining Operations

If you like to watch old school machining, this video from the Library and Archives Canada is pretty amazing. It’s a silent black and white video that is just shy of 54 minutes long. The title of the video is “Manufacturing an Eight Inch High Explosive Howitzer Shell At The Works Of The John Bertram & Sons Company, Ltd., Dundas, Ontario – Canada”.

The video steps you through the process as well as general view of the shop. This shows you manufacturing in an era where a lot of artisan skill was required to turn out products. It’s really fascinating to watch. The following are some screen shots from the video:

Machining an 8-inch howitzer shell, circa 1917, showcasing industrial manufacturing.
Machining an 8-inch howitzer shell circa 1917
Worker inspects an eight-inch high explosive howitzer shell during manufacturing, circa 1917.
1917 howitzer shell manufacturing: worker machines an 8-inch explosive shell.
Worker applies sealant to wooden crate for 8-inch howitzer shell manufacturing, 1917

Here’s the Video:

I hope you enjoyed this bit of history!

Please note that all images were extracted from the video and are the property of their respective owner.

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