17 replies to this topic

[genef]

Hello,

I am hoping some member of the forum can help ID these grenades.

Thanks,

Gene

[ph0ebus]

Top right is a No. 34 British grenade, circa WWI:

British Hand Grenade No.34 Mk.III

Bottom, I think is a part of a German mortar?

Imperial German Grenades and Ordnance - W.W.I

-Daniel

[Tom W.]

Top left is a French M1914 ball grenade.

[auchonvillerssomme]

Is it? I thought it was a British No28 Mark2

[31543 Ogilwy]

There are so many 'Ball Grenades' around that time!  No 28 would have been my choice!  The give away is the filling if it is liquid problem solved.  I had a couple that were rusted through and had drained, but still came up with a 'hit' for chemical content when tested.  

The third does look like a Granaten Wurfer minus the tail assembly.

A scale and sizes may well solve the problem, (I regularly shout at Operators who omit one from pictures ). Any markings no matter what always help also.

Rod

[CROONAERT]

It definately is a no.28 (Mk.II)...

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[CROONAERT]

CROONAERT, on 29 February 2012 - 09:10 AM, said:

It definately is a no.28 (Mk.II)...

The French Mle.1914 was quite radically different...

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[Gunner Bailey]

31543 Ogilwy, on 29 February 2012 - 08:52 AM, said:

The third does look like a Granaten Wurfer minus the tail assembly.

Rod

Correct and I'd be wary of that fuse!


John

[31543 Ogilwy]

[quote name='Gunner Bailey' timestamp='1330520382' post='1718694']
Correct and I'd be wary of that fuse!


John,

I'm always wary of all the items.  I've seen to many live items described as 'Inert'.  

EOD is not a sport for all the family, nor enthusiastic amateurs!

Rod

[Cnock]

In the middle: British egg grenade?

Cnock

[auchonvillerssomme]

Heres the bits. As a matter of interest the only items I have ever found on the surface around Beaumont Hamel Cemetery are the tubes minus the fins.

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[pioneercorps]

Hi All

Know I'm coming on this late, is the one on the right the French Mle.1914, and the other one?.

Regards.
Gerwyn

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[connaughtranger]

pioneercorps, on 29 February 2012 - 04:22 PM, said:

Hi All

Know I'm coming on this late, is the one on the right the French Mle.1914, and the other one?.

Regards.
Gerwyn

One on the left is a German egg grenade
Martin

[auchonvillerssomme]

The one on the left is the WWI German Eierhandgranat, " Egg Grenade"  1917.

Yes the one on the right is the French Mle.1914

[pioneercorps]

Hi Both

Thank you both for your information, interesting how the French MIe was used, to me it looks like the strap went around the wrist, then when thrown the wire/cord pulled out the pin, wonder if there were any problem with the pin jamming.

Regards.
Gerwyn

[Tom W.]

pioneercorps, on 29 February 2012 - 04:44 PM, said:

Thank you both for your information, interesting how the French MIe was used, to me it looks like the strap went around the wrist, then when thrown the wire/cord pulled out the pin, wonder if there were any problem with the pin jamming.

Why, yes, there were! Which is one of the reasons the French abandoned the system.

Here's a graphic (not in the sense of gory, because nobody's injured) demonstration of what happens when you rely on the throwing motion to pull the pin: In the modern Chinese army, they use stick grenades, but they have the most ridiculous throwing method on earth. Like most German stick grenades, the Chinese weapon has a timed fuse activated by pulling a lanyard. The Germans sensibly pulled the lanyard with one hand and threw the grenade with the other.

The Chinese are trained to unscrew the safety cap on the handle, let the lanyard drop out, place the ring on the end of the lanyard over the pinky and wrap the lanyard around that digit and the ring finger of the throwing hand, and then toss the grenade, relying on the inertia created by the mass of the grenade to activate the fuse. If you throw weakly or let go of the grenade too early, the fuse can be activated by the lanyard but the grenade will just sort of cartwheel--or in the case of the French ball grenade, spin--in midair, right in front of your face. Or the weapon can be yanked back toward you if the pin jams. This is the result;

[pioneercorps]

Hi Tom

Thank you explaining how it worked, great grenade instructor what a cool head.

Regards.
Gerwyn

[truthergw]

I suppose the Chinese are not too short of soldiers. It might give first aid men someone to practice on.