Identify my grenade

[iamrcb]

About two years ago while doing some demolition on an old (100+yr) building we found a old grenade (not live!) that had been surrounded in some mortar around on old chimney pot. After the brief moment of panic its provided a good story since then on a few occasions.

So now its time to find out what it is, where its from and what happened to it. any ideas?

I know we'll never know why someone slapped a bit of mortar round it and built it into the stone and clay chimney pot. Just in case someone found it in the future I suppose.

Pics below

[Cock Womble 7]

Mills bomb?

[iamrcb]

just checked that out and it looks very similar

looks like the one from around 1940

so what could be the explanation for the hole in the side? I assume if normally detonated then the casing is obliterated.

Edited by iamrcb on Sunday 8th August 22:10

[Jasandjules]

Cock Womble 7 said:

Mills bomb?

That was my first thought too.

[Laurel Green]

Looks to me like an Iron Age pasty.

[TVR1]

"Mills bomb" Number 5 (probably) and specifically, due to the shoulder cut outs/profile. Also looks like it has a base plug for shooting from a rifle with an attached rod, making it a variant 23. 1915 onwards. Although, it looks like a No 36 mark 1, with the cut outs, but the shoulder profile is wrong (rust maybe)


Cut in the side is (probably) from deactivation. Designed to be tricky to disarm...After all it's a grenade and wouldn't be much use if it was chucked at you and you caught it and could just unscrew it to disarm it! Hence the 7 down to 3 seconds time fuse over it's life. 80 foot range to disable a person on detonation but designed to be thrown from 40 feet!!! (work that one out)

Although, for a definitive answer, please follow this link...and if you are under 42, you may still have a career in the army!http://www.army.mod.uk/royalengineers/role/2921.aspxis link...

Edited by TVR1 on Monday 9th August 00:59