British Ordnance Collectors Network
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Mills No23
- Thread starter Andysarmoury
- Start date
Hi buddy,
ime sure its just a foundry mark. There wasnt a requirement[although a few did, CAV as an example] to place a makers mark on anything before the No 23/111 and the No 36 during WW1. It will be one among millions of grens produced by hundreds of unknown makers.
Looks a nice gren though. My best condition Mills from WW1 is also a No 23/11.
Andy
ime sure its just a foundry mark. There wasnt a requirement[although a few did, CAV as an example] to place a makers mark on anything before the No 23/111 and the No 36 during WW1. It will be one among millions of grens produced by hundreds of unknown makers.
Looks a nice gren though. My best condition Mills from WW1 is also a No 23/11.
Andy
Thanks Andy, i thought it must be something like that i have a No5 with a 2 in the same place so like you say its probably a foundry mark.
Cheers
Andy
Cheers
Andy
pointblank0
BOCN Supporter
Great condition grenade there. Who is the maker (of the base plug)?
Thanks again Andy.
Cheers
Andy
Cheers
Andy
Hi There Andy, the makers mark has been ground of the No23 MkII plug, it should have been around the rod hole.
Dave
millsgrenades.co.uk
Dave
millsgrenades.co.uk
Last edited:
Hi Andy,
what Dave is trying to say is that the makers name was actually on the 'boss' ie the section in the middle of the plug with the threaded hole and its been ground off at some time.
Come to think of it, i have seen similar plugs in the past.
Thanks Dave for reminding me.
Andy
what Dave is trying to say is that the makers name was actually on the 'boss' ie the section in the middle of the plug with the threaded hole and its been ground off at some time.
Come to think of it, i have seen similar plugs in the past.
Thanks Dave for reminding me.
Andy
Thanks Andy and Dave Yes i can see it know that's what you get for speed reading and somebody talking behind you i will pay attention next time lol.
Cheers
Andy
Cheers
Andy
Hearn Type Plugs - For the enthusiast
The attached shows an early (maybe the earliest) 'Hearn' style plug made I believe by Brown & Green (B&G) of Luton for James Allen Senior's Twickenham works (rather than their Glasgow one). 500 were made to the TW Supply Dept's instructions by B&G, a grenade manufacturer, for JAS, another grenade manufacturer. There is no evidence on the plug that B&G made it. Point being that, as in WW2, plugs were made for other companies in WW1 but it is possible that the monogram of the actual manufacturer of the plug is not shown, just that of the end user (ie the body manufacturer).
Relatively few No23 Mark I grenades would have been equipped with the Hearn style plug which is of course a characteristic of the Mk II and III.
I am obliged to Snufkin for his research on this and will not steal any more of his thunder.
The attached shows an early (maybe the earliest) 'Hearn' style plug made I believe by Brown & Green (B&G) of Luton for James Allen Senior's Twickenham works (rather than their Glasgow one). 500 were made to the TW Supply Dept's instructions by B&G, a grenade manufacturer, for JAS, another grenade manufacturer. There is no evidence on the plug that B&G made it. Point being that, as in WW2, plugs were made for other companies in WW1 but it is possible that the monogram of the actual manufacturer of the plug is not shown, just that of the end user (ie the body manufacturer).
Relatively few No23 Mark I grenades would have been equipped with the Hearn style plug which is of course a characteristic of the Mk II and III.
I am obliged to Snufkin for his research on this and will not steal any more of his thunder.
Attachments
Andy,
Dont know is the easy answer but we can probably speculate about some of the companies that had the capability of base plug production alongside their casting of bodies. All this would need a fair bit of research. The B&G/JAS story is rather a special case because although JAS could have made cast-iron plugs they didn't make this batch because it was somewhat experimental to test Hearn's plug (I think Hearn worked at B&G and submitted the design in October 1916).
Getting back to where this started I have seen Hearn type cast plugs where space was left for a contractors monogram and this was simply punched on (feintly). Two I recollect were by REVO and Moorwoods. I guess they were issued with the plugs (that might have been made by B&G).
Last edited:
Norman,
It actually turns all plug production on its head dosnt it? Who did what or not?
Just goes to show what we dont know.One day with Tom's help i hope we do find out more.
I have come across at least 2 with the markings on the boss on a 23/2, searching for the piccys at the moment.
Did they ever make the Hearn type plug in brass?
Andy
It actually turns all plug production on its head dosnt it? Who did what or not?
Just goes to show what we dont know.One day with Tom's help i hope we do find out more.
I have come across at least 2 with the markings on the boss on a 23/2, searching for the piccys at the moment.
Did they ever make the Hearn type plug in brass?
Andy