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Spanish Civil war grenade

gothica7

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
DSCN2153.jpgDSCN2154.jpgDSCN2155.jpgDSCN2156.jpgDSCN2156.jpgI have had this for many years and have reliably informed its from the Spanish Civil War but not sure which side, any info would be welcome. The body is heavy rough cast iron segmented like a Mills gren with a rounded base and I use a Mills plug to stand it on. The fuze mechanism is of well made brass and the lever from a tin can. Probly from the late 1930s. Bought on ebay in the days when this was allowed.
 
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Hello,

I think that grenade was not used in the Spanish civil war. Never seen in Spain.

Cheers
 
Hi, and your reasoning behind this is? I have been told by several other people from Spain that it is so I have now conflicting information.Always need to learn though. Here is some of the information I have been given, maybe this will clarify things,DSCN2157.jpg


Andy
 
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Hello,

My reasoning behind this is: 38 years of professional practice, 2 books published in Spain about the weapons used in the Spanish Civil War, collaboration in several more (including "El arsenal de los revolucionarios" (The arsenal of revolutionaries) that you teach) and dozens of articles published in magazines and web pages.
And that grenade (The body is similar to many other homemade grenades ... but not the same. Look http://amonio.es/granadas.htm) and that fuze have never been seen in Spain, as far as I know.

Greeting
 
I entering in this debate "tiptoed"... I've not the experience of my friend no3nh4, but I follow the Spanish grenades from a lot of years too. Can I suggest it could be a late modification with new or hand made fuze of the defensive grenade called "De Canutillo" ? Shape of the body and number of heels matchs. The Canutillo was without threaded hole, but looks the same grenade for me.
 
I personally cannot say but the brass fuze looks very well made and most certainly would have worked and the information that I was given on it being from the Civil war was given to me a very long time ago by a Spanish guy who seemed to be certain it was.In times of uncertainty and desperation as it was then, all sorts of things can happen. We are still finding about new things about the Mills grenade for example from a time when things were well documented and recorded as a lot of information was destroyed in the blitz for example. I am grateful for any information that anyone can give me to help identify this grenade.

Andy
 
It almost looks like a 'Townsend' type throwing practice grenade modified with a home made lever, detonator set. So it looks like a civil war 'type' grenade, even similar to some of the IRA / UDA types produced in the post WW2 period.
 
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Andy

I noticed that the 'lever' on your grenade was shaped like an exaggerated 'US spoon'. Back in 2009 I picked up a incomplete Mills 36 type grenade with a weird lever. I eventually moved it on but later suspected it might have been an 'unofficial copy' made by the IRA or someone else. The lever was very odd and I wonder if these were the products of 'underground' workshops.

Here's a photo of it. Yes the pin and label came with it as well.

DSCN1234.jpg

I strongly suspect your grenade is a 'civil war' home made - type but don't know from where.
 
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