Grenades 1914 -1922
Grenades have been part
of European warfare since the C17th. The word 'grenade' is derived from the
french for pomegranate. The earliest types of grenade were simple earthenware
pots filled with blackpowder and ignited using matchcord. By the time of the
Franco-Prussian War the grenade had evolved into a mechanical device ignited
by a friction fuse. In 1914 the French still had vast stocks of these older
types of grenade and they formed the backbone of supplies until the adoption
of more modern designs in around 1916.
The French
Boule (ball) Grenade 1914
The ball grenade was
a reworked example of the type of grenade used in the Franco-Prussian war.
It featured an improved fuse system and was projected by and infantryman
wearing a leather wrist-strap which in turn clipped on to a ring on top
of the grenade (see image). Upon releasing the grenade the strap would automatically
remove the ring and thus priming the fuse.
Citron
(lemon) Foug Grenade, 1916
A practical and compact
grenade. The segmentation was designed solely for ease of gripping the grenade.
The fuse was triggered by removing the safety cover and striking the pin
sharply against a hard surface (such as your Adrian steel helmet!). The
grenade was capable of being filled with anything from phosphorous for smoke
to gas and high explosive.
The F1
Grenade - Three Variants
The F1 was the world's
first truly modern grenade. From the left, we have the first pattern which
was a rough cast casing and the red cover would be removed to reveal a plunger
which once struck activated the grenade's fuse. In the centre is the second
pattern with improved casting to the body and improved (shorter) fuse. The
third image is the final pattern and of a type more familiar to modern eyes,
this is activated by removing the pin and only once the grenade is released
will the spring-loaded spoon handle detach arming the fuse.
The Viven
et Bessières Grenade, 1916
The VB grenade is unique,
it was designed solely as a rifle grenade and is propelled by placing it flat-side
down into a special adaptor which fits on to the end of the Lebel rifle (The
adaptor will in fact fit any French rifle from the Lebel onwards, however
the Lebel's design meant it was the only gun strong enough to be used for
the VB's discharge). The adaptor is known as the tromblon which
translates into english as blunderbuss! The maximum range of this grenade
was 170 - 190 metres (depending which source you believe)
Please note that these images are not to the same scale
