British No 36 MKI Grenade help please
I picked this up to add to my collection of trash and trinkets. I was not able to find out much on the maker D&B or the strange pull pin that is on this example. Was this some type of movie prop or a legit maker. The construction and markings look good to me. All thoughts and opinions are appreciated.
John
It’s original, most likely a training grenade going on the drilled holes. They were usually painted white, but it’s not uncommon to find them with the paint removed. It’s usually done by collectors, who also sometimes fill in the holes and repaint them to look like live ones.
B.B.
''Everyday you think of living. We are born to die, but I appreciate life. We live day by day, and I always say: yesterday is history, today's reality, and tomorrow's a dream.' -- Henry Flescher, Holocaust Survivor -- March 14, 1924 - August 29, 2018
Grenade Hand and Rifle Drill No36. As BB says it should be painted white. The Pin is a modern 'Twist and Pull' as opposed to the original ring and split pin.
R
Thank you both for the information. I was hoping it would have been something to add to the collection but sound like it needs to move on.
John
Hi John, unless you are dead set against a drill grenade this is a perfectly good piece of WWII militaria.by Rescue190
At the risk of stating the obvious these were used for both throwing practice and other drills such as maintenance and preparation for use
(you actually had to put the fuse in and "cock" these for which there was a specific drill using the No4 bayonet pressed against the waistbelt which we were taught as late as the mid '70s just using a screwdriver instead of the No4 bayonet!).
So this would have been used by troops in basic training but also in units carrying out continuation training. The internals are identical to the live grenade except that the fuse is a dummy.
I think it is worth bearing in mind that a non-training (I avoid saying live!) and inert grenade has by definition never been "used"
Replacing the pin should be very easy as it is simply a cotter pin and split ring both of which even today are virtually identical to the originals (difference limited to modern manufacture so if you find an old one in the shed it will do!). This is a nice relic and you could leave it as is or paint it gloss white. Which a little age it would be very hard to tell the difference.
A point to note from what I see on fairs is that as it is it could command almost as high a value as the non-drill item.
Regards
Mark
Last edited by Watchdog; 11-14-2022 at 01:44 PM. Reason: typo
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
Thanks Mark.
John
It occurred to me that many might wonder about the ready availability of a suitable screwdriver amongst a soldiers kit that would be long enough.
Bearing in mind that the grenades would be prepared for use before going into the line. The gas piston of the L1A1 Self Loading Rifle (UK version of FN FAL) takes about two seconds to remove (the rifle can still fire single shots with the piston out) and is perfect length and diameter for the job of "cocking" the grenade mechanism)
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
The last time I used the Mills bomb was on ranges some distance outside a God-forsaken shit hole of an army barracks near Mourmelon le Grande in France. I quite clearly remember that the grenades were removed from the storage box already 'cocked' and it was just a matter of removing the base plug and dropping in the fuse. I'm sure that Mark is just getting a little mixed up when he says that you put the fuse in and cock the striker. For a start, the percussion cap on the fuse would be blocking the entrance to the tube where the striker is situated. And even if you could insert the fuse and then cock the striker, it would be an extremely foolhardy thing to attempt!
Cheers,
Steve
Haha yes I typed the words in the wrong order! Of course it is physically impossible to cock the striker after inserting the fuseThe last time I used the Mills bomb was on ranges some distance outside a God-forsaken shit hole of an army barracks near Mourmelon le Grande in France. I quite clearly remember that the grenades were removed from the storage box already 'cocked' and it was just a matter of removing the base plug and dropping in the fuse. I'm sure that Mark is just getting a little mixed up when he says that you put the fuse in and then cock the striker. For a start, the percussion cap on the fuse would be blocking the entrance to the tube where the striker is situated. And even if you could insert the fuse and then cock the striker, it would be an extremely foolhardy thing to attempt!
Cheers,
Steve
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
On removal from the Ammunition Container and after checking the safety pin and ring are both present and secure, the Wool Grease is removed from around the striker. The Base plug is removed and retained, a detonator and fuze assembly are then removed from the red tin plate cylinder. The detonator is inserted into the detonator well and the fuze cap holder into the centre striker channel. The Base Plug is then replaced and screwed finger tight. The Grenade is then ready for throwing.
I hope one day I can forget this stuff because I'm not sure how much room I have left for new things or how much room this stuff takes up!
R
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