Mills Grenade in Section

[millsbomber]

I got the delivery of the Sectioned mills as tipped off on BOCN, im asking members please to post pictures of there examples, i have 3 all different in some small way, here's my examples,






This is the example i got from Ebanned, the body is blackened slightly and has the No23Mk11 B&D 4/17 plug, the lever, spring, base plug, ring pull, split pin and slotted striker are copper coated, the det tube length is 39mm copper, brass anvil with 2 vent holes on the top, the box is marked Stevenson's Boxmakers Manchester on the side and inside the lid its also impressed Stevenson's Boxmakers Manchester, London, Perth. Lid measures 78mm X 115mm



This example has no visible copper coating and has a lacquered body, Brass No5 base plug marked B&D 9/16 det tube length 37mm, lead anvil, Lid dimensions 74mm x 112mm, un slotted striker.



This is the one that puzzles me the most, Copper coated body, small R marking at front, no other coatings on furniture, now i'm thinking this could be a Radnall example by the body marking and cut out at the front where the center tube screws in.
The base plug is Aerators 4/17 No23 Mk11 Gas check O M Co 11/17 but have been added i think over the years, over to you guys lets see whats out there,,,,,,, Dave

 

[SG500]

Dave I don't even collect grenades but do recognise serious quality and that's exactly what you've got there, very very nice, thanks for showing them.
Dave.

 

[siegfreid]

Spectacular examples , Dave . I think the rarest bits are the boxes ? Mike

 

[gothica7]

Here is the only one i have Dave, minus box ime afraid but it only cost me 30 quid.

It has a No 5 B & D plug dated 10/16. It too is blackened all over.

Great find, Dave, thanks for showing your grens.

Andy

 

[Bonnex]

Sectioned Mills

My contribution:



Sectioned1 (B&D Box)
Black body; Copper washed slotted striker, spring, lever and pin; Hearn cast-iron Plug marked B&D, No23MII, 12 17





Sectioned2 (B&D Box)
Black body; black lever; small ring; unslotted striker; pressed brass base plug marked No 5 Mk I MILLS PATENT 9/16 MMCo BHAM






Sectioned3 (E A Radnall & Co Box)
Brown body (may be copper washer and then lacquered); slotted striker; pressed brass base plug marked No 5 1 10/16 B E.A.RADNALL & Co





Sectioned4 (no box)
Black body; unslotted striker; black painted spring; aluminium base plug marked No 5 I 1 1916 D&B

 

[Snufkin]

A couple more:

(Left) Grenade with brown body (lacquered); slotted striker; pressed brass base plug marked No 5. 1 8/1916 B E.A.RADNALL & Co. Box marked E. A. Radnall & Co.

(Right) Grenade with black body; coppered slotted striker, lever and pin; Hearn cast-iron base plug marked B&D, No23 MII, 12 17. Rod hole drilled but not threaded. Box marked Brooks & Doxey Ld.

The requirements* for sectioned Mills' Nos 5 and 23 grenades were:

No.5 sections

14.9.15 - 2,000
11.8.16 - 1,000
31.8.16 - 1,500
31.1.17 - 750
19.2.17 - 3,000
17.4.17 - 8 (for the Royal Navy?)

Total 8,258

No.23 sections

11.4.17 - 3,000
9.7.17 - 3,000
28.9.17 - 2,500
5.11.17 - 4,000

Total 12,500

* MUN weekly reports 1915-1917

I couldn't say whether all sections were supplied in their own little box.


Tom.

 

[roller63]

Dave, mine is exactly the same as Bonnex's no 3 pic, ie. E.A Radnall and co, box and baseplug, even has the same dates. Pics to follow.

 

[Slick]

Spectacular examples, all. Rare as hen's teeth in these parts. Question is: why were so many factory produced like that? Were they sold as collector's items or for training purposes only?

Rick

 

[paul the grenade]

Heres my one. A No23 Mk2. Its got traces of black paint on the body and the base plug is a Brooks & Doxy dated 4 / 17
The box is the standard E.A. Radnall & Co.
Cheers, Paul.

 

[millsbomber]

Spectacular examples, all. Rare as hen's teeth in these parts. Question is: why were so many factory produced like that? Were they sold as collector's items or for training purposes only?

Rick

Thy were for training Rick, i have read that once the grenades reached the front line trenches the striker had to be checked in its operation and greased( base plug collectors might notice some recovered base plugs with the indents of the striker on the top of the plug, that's from this checking ), finally it had to be armed by fitting the det, i think these were produced so all this could be explained to the troops, Mills bombers were very effective at clearing trenches, it was the only arms thy went in to battle with, 20 per Bomber, hence why there are so many spread over the battle fields of WW1,,,,,, Dave

 

[roller63]

As promised, some pics of my example, from what I can see, the same as Bonnex's No 3 pics.