The forged steel base plug key was the "All Purpose Key Forged, Grenade, Hand or .303" Rifle, No.36M". The first UK contract for 100,000 was placed 16 November 1944 with The National Stamping Works, Willenhall (NSW), and thereafter till the end of the war further orders were placed with three other firms.
Final UK manufacture of the U-shaped wire key ("Key, Base Plug, Grenade, Hand or .303" Rifle, No.36M") was January 1945.*
Designs to replace the wire key were first drawn up in late 1942 and a version made from pressed steel plate was initially selected. It was shaped to: (i) screw and unscrew the base plug; (ii) re-cock the striker; and (iii) gauge the detonator chamber and confirm it clear. The All Purpose Key was finally issued in 1945 as a forged steel tool instead of pressed steel.
*The wire key was first provided by William Mills in WWI, and in addition to UK manufacture it was made in France by the RE; it fitted and worked with all variants of No.5, No.23 and No.36 base plug. It saw service through to well after WWII.
Final UK manufacture of the U-shaped wire key ("Key, Base Plug, Grenade, Hand or .303" Rifle, No.36M") was January 1945.*
Designs to replace the wire key were first drawn up in late 1942 and a version made from pressed steel plate was initially selected. It was shaped to: (i) screw and unscrew the base plug; (ii) re-cock the striker; and (iii) gauge the detonator chamber and confirm it clear. The All Purpose Key was finally issued in 1945 as a forged steel tool instead of pressed steel.
*The wire key was first provided by William Mills in WWI, and in addition to UK manufacture it was made in France by the RE; it fitted and worked with all variants of No.5, No.23 and No.36 base plug. It saw service through to well after WWII.
