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Makers of British no 34 grenades
- Thread starter SG500
- Start date
From November 1917 to December 1918 around 1.8 million No.34 (mostly Mark III) grenades were delivered, and up to April 1919 further small deliveries were made as contracts were terminated.
The Mark IV, with the cast ring for better grip, was only approved in September 1918, so few were made compared to the Mark III.
Initially an organisation of nine manufacturers was formed to service the first contract for 500,000 Mark III, delivering 60-70,000 per week between them. The number of contractors was increased slightly after the first run, and in addition to the above noted makers, monograms seen on Mark III bodies include FICo, WEB, PSC, and FB.
(Back in February 1917, 2,500 each of what were to be the No.34 Mark I and Mark II were ordered for trials in France, and from the trials the design of the No.34 Mark III emerged.)
Tom.
The Mark IV, with the cast ring for better grip, was only approved in September 1918, so few were made compared to the Mark III.
Initially an organisation of nine manufacturers was formed to service the first contract for 500,000 Mark III, delivering 60-70,000 per week between them. The number of contractors was increased slightly after the first run, and in addition to the above noted makers, monograms seen on Mark III bodies include FICo, WEB, PSC, and FB.
(Back in February 1917, 2,500 each of what were to be the No.34 Mark I and Mark II were ordered for trials in France, and from the trials the design of the No.34 Mark III emerged.)
Tom.
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Thanks for the great info Tom. Does anyone know how many of the Mk IV were made?
Dave.
I don't know any official figures for numbers of Mk IV made.
Approval for the Mk IV was dated 6 September 1918, but production would only have begun once the relevant contractors had received necessary instructions and the running Mk III contracts had come to an end. As of 2 December 1918 it was recorded by the Controller Munitions Design that there was "NO stock of Mk IV" and "NO stock of Mk IV M". This suggests that other than small numbers made for trial use, full scale production and delivery had not commenced.
From December 1918 to May 1919 around 300,000 empty No.34 were delivered as contracts were terminated, but it is very unlikely that many of those were Mk IV. Within hours of the Armistice happening, instructions had gone out to cease production of many natures of munitions, and any new designs not yet being produced would have been put on hold.
Tom.
Approval for the Mk IV was dated 6 September 1918, but production would only have begun once the relevant contractors had received necessary instructions and the running Mk III contracts had come to an end. As of 2 December 1918 it was recorded by the Controller Munitions Design that there was "NO stock of Mk IV" and "NO stock of Mk IV M". This suggests that other than small numbers made for trial use, full scale production and delivery had not commenced.
From December 1918 to May 1919 around 300,000 empty No.34 were delivered as contracts were terminated, but it is very unlikely that many of those were Mk IV. Within hours of the Armistice happening, instructions had gone out to cease production of many natures of munitions, and any new designs not yet being produced would have been put on hold.
Tom.
