Help ID grenade

[lastditch]

Hello fellow collectors,
I found this site doing some research for a few new items I picked up for my collection.
Although I am not a hard core ordnance collector hopefully I can contribute in the future to this site , now I need your help.


The small grouping has 2 artillery shells , 1 odd 37MM shell and a grenade I don't have a clue on.
All items were bring back items from WW1.
The grenade I need information on has a sheet metal body, removing top safety cap exposes a loose pivoting fuse.
There is a strap wrapped around fuse holder which appears to be attached to a safety pin that keeps the firing pin from hitting till thrown.
The pin has to be pulled to unwrap strap, firing pin is spring loading to hold pin up. So again I am guessing that the grenade has to have safety cap off and then when thrown has to hit head down on the firing pin.
The lady I got these from said her Grandfather brought these back and had indicated this was a practice grenade.
As can be seen in photo the ONLY markings are the P.O. On the body
Thank you all in advance for your help
Tom

 

[pointblank0]

Hi mate. A very interesting looking grenade that, I haven't seen one before and don't know what it is. The fuse assembly doesn't look to dissimilar to a style of always fuse or similar to one that you would find on a Russian percussion grenade. It appears that the principal is the same. The pin is drawn and when thrown, the ribbon (weighted on one end) unravels and when it reaches its end, pulls the safety pin allowing the grenade to detonate when it hits something hard.
Are you sure it is WW1?

 

[sgtlynn]

Yep, Italian WWI grenade, PO= Petard Offensivo. 120 mm high, 55 mm diameter, weight about 400 gr and contained 160 grams of TNT. In service about 1918. Well documented in Maurice Frei's book.

 

[lastditch]

Wow, thanks for the quick ID , it does make some sense now , she still has a 1871 /87/16 Italian bayonet and an Italian helmet. She has got to see if the kids want it first before she will part with them.
Her Grandfather was an ambulance driver so had access to multiple countries at an aid station .
I only have a U.S. grenade recognition manual so time for more reference books.
As a collector always digging , it did surprise me that this has been out of sight and untouched since WW1.
Tom

 

[sgtlynn]

A very nice find, congratulations.

 

[pointblank0]

A very nice find, congratulations.

I am impressed! Do you have any more info on this grenade. I have never seen one before, and looks to me, a little before its time. But now you say, has a lot of similarities with the red devil grenades

 

[orpheus72]

I am impressed! Do you have any more info on this grenade. I have never seen one before, and looks to me, a little before its time. But now you say, has a lot of similarities with the red devil grenades

You can sfind more info and great pictures here: http://www.talpo.it/petardo-offensivo-p.o..html

 

[siegfreid]

That is one VERY rare grenade ! Thanks for showing it . The fuze is similar to the ones used on the British WW1 Bellamy & Humphries grenades & the later Always fuze used on the No69 etc.