Hi, I've been reading through some of the old posts and I think maybe someone here will be able to help! A few years ago I visited a tiny island near Rhodes called Alimnia. The island was home to an Axis submarine base. The pens, barracks and other buildings are still there, pretty much intact. While looking around I picked up a spent cartridge case from beneath a very bullet ridden window. I have found very little about this island and its ww2 history, maybe the bullet would be a good start? I know there was a failed british Commando raid on the pens but no more. The cartridge is about 10mm in diameter 50mm long. The end is very corroded but I can make out a capital T and an M on one side and possible an E and a 3 on the other. I would love to learn more about this. Any thoughts would be most welcome. Thank you in advance Richard
Hi Richard and welcome to the forum. Sounds an interesting place. If you could put a picture of the casing up I am sure one of our members will be able to help.
Hi and thanks for the encouragement, I'll upload some blurry photos asap. Mike L - Yes it is a fascinating place and perhaps a bit uncomfortable to walk around. There are still drawings and paintings on the walls produced by the chaps stationed there. I didn't take any photos unfortunately, but I have found this web page with a few pictures - it's a pitty it's in german! It's there if you scroll down to the 29.07.09. projekt-galateia.de Regards Richard
Here are a couple of scans of the cartridge shell. As I said it measures 50mm long and about 10mm in diameter. It would be great if someone could point me in the right direction. Cheers Richard
It is an Italian 6.5x52mm Carcano. It was made at the Italian government arsenal at Pirotechnia Bologna in 193? (I can't read the last digit). The Italian inspector whose initials appear at the top (T.M) is unknown. More information here: Carcano Ammunition - History & Headstamps REgards TonyE
Wow TonyE that's amazing! I was hoping it was of that period. I don't know much (as you can tell) but how far would the casing/cartridge travel after being shot? I found it outside a window. Would it have been fired at or from the window, do you think? There seems to be very little information about the island. From what I can gather the Italians built the pens and the defensive works there but it was stationed by germans. Would this ammunition be specific to one weapon? Thanks again Richard
The round was used in the Carcano rifle and a variety of Italian machine guns. Assuming it was fired from a rifle, since the Carcano was a bolt action rifle, the distance the empty case would travel when ejected would depend on how vigorously the firer worked the bolt. The Carcano was essentially a Mannlicher action and thus somewhat cumbersome (compared say to a SMLE) so I would suspect that the empty case would go no more than three or four feet. If it was fired from a Machine gun, most models ejected the case downwards and so the case would end up very close to the position of the gun. Regards TonyE
TonyE - Crikey, you know your stuff! What you've said is fascinating and ties in with where I found it. I'll keep going with the research. There must be so many places like this tiny island, all with layers and layers of history and stories to tell. Kind regards Richard
