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Read Ebook: Hand Grenades: A handbook on rifle and hand grenades by Ainslie Graham Montgomery Compiler
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PAGE INTRODUCTION 1 HAND AND RIFLE GRENADES 2 GRENADE ESTABLISHMENT 26 GRENADE SQUAD 28 CLEARING A TRENCH FROM A FLANK 29 FRONTAL ATTACK 32 TRENCH STORMING PARTIES 36 FOREIGN GRENADES. FRENCH 38 FOREIGN GRENADES. GERMAN 42 EXPLOSIVES USED IN GRENADES 51 FUSES, DETONATORS, ETC. 55 THROWING 59
HAND GRENADES
A grenade is a hollow ball, cylinder, or cube, made of metal or other material, which is filled with some explosive, and burst by means of a fuse, or on impact when it falls among an enemy. Until about the end of the seventeenth century trained soldiers called Grenadiers used grenades which were thrown by hand, but after that date they fell into disuse. In 1899--1900 at the siege of Mafeking they are said to have been used by the besieged, and also in the Russo-Japanese war. In the year 1914, however, the beginning of the great war produced new methods in the employment of infantry in the attack or defense of positions. It was proved that under many conditions infantry armed only with a rifle and bayonet found it impossible to press home an attack or hold a position against troops armed with grenades.
This weapon, handy to use and immensely destructive and demoralizing in its employment, has played a most important part in every successful operation carried out by British troops on the Western front. It has become one of the principal weapons not only in trench warfare, but in the attack and clearing of enemy positions, strong points, villages, and especially in house-to-house and cellar fighting.
NOTE. 1. In throwing all hand grenades an overarm action will be used, like a bowler when playing cricket.
BRITISH GRENADES
There are two kinds of grenades:
No. 1. Time grenades. No. 2. Percussion grenades.
No. 1 rely for ignition upon:
Some form of fuse lighter. A length of time or safety fuse. A detonator or exploder.
No. 2 on:
Some form of percussion striking device. A percussion cap. A detonator.
For throwing purposes grenades as follows:
GRENADE HAND NO. 1 or General Service
Always carry grenades at "travel."
GRENADE HAND NO. 2
Hales Hand or Mexican Grenade
"GRENADE 303." SHORT RIFLE NO. 3
Hales Rifle Grenade
Mills Hand Grenade
Mills Rifle Grenade
Base plugs into which are screwed 8 in. rods are provided for this grenade to be fired from rifle, a special one being fitted to the rifle for this purpose.
GRENADES HAND NOS. 6 AND 7
R.L. or T.G. Grenades
NOTE. The No. 6 grenade is an assault or demoralizing grenade.
GRENADE HAND NOS. 8 AND 9
Double Cylinder
NOTE. The heavy pattern grenade has more shrapnel and less explosive than the light pattern grenade.
GRENADE HAND NO. 12
Hairbrush or Box Pattern Grenade
NOTE. This grenade is now used as a land mine.
BATTYE GRENADE
PITCHER HAND GRENADE
This grenade is not likely to be reissued. The igniter is described in the Training and Employment of Grenadiers issued by General H. Q., October, 1915.
OVAL GRENADE
BALL GRENADE
NEWTON HAND GRENADE
NEWTON RIFLE GRENADE
HAND GRENADE NO. 19
RIFLE GRENADE NO. 20 Improved Hales Rifle Grenade
Total grenadiers per battalion, 224 all ranks.
Total grenadiers per brigade, 896 company and battalion grenadiers.
Total grenadiers per division, 2688 company and battalion grenadiers.
COMPOSITION OF A GRENADE SQUAD
In Line
No. 1. Bayonet man. No. 2. Bayonet man. No. 3. First thrower. No. 4. Second thrower. No. 5. N.C.O. or Leader. No. 6. First carrier. No. 7. Second carrier. No. 8. Spare man. No. 9. Spare man or sniper.
In Single File
No. 1. Bayonet man. No. 2. Bayonet man. No. 3. First thrower. No. 6. First carrier. No. 5. N.C.O. or Leader. No. 4. Second thrower. No. 7. Second carrier. No. 8. Spare man. No. 9. Spare man or sniper.
NOTE. The latter are not armed against attack at close quarters. The bayonet men work in advance of the thrower and carrier of their squads. They act as trench scouts; that is, they instruct their thrower and carrier how the trench runs and where the dug-outs and side trenches will be met. They will carry their rifles with bayonets fixed, loaded, magazine full. No. 3 and 6 bomb and clear all dug-outs on the way down the trench. The first man throws the bomb, the bayonet man enters the dug-out and completes its work. At the junctions of communication trenches and side trenches they act as trench sentries and observers until relieved by the squads in rear. If necessity arises they assist the thrower by throwing bombs.
NOTE. Every man in the grenade squad should be trained to fill the position of any other in the squad.
The safety and local protection of each individual in the squad; care should be taken that as far as possible each man has a solid corner of the trench close to him, which he can use as a protection against the bursting effect of enemy grenades, by quickly advancing or retiring around the corner.
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