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Snuff Grenade

Millsman

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
A conversation at Chatham on Sunday made me think about showing a very unusual grenade. Known as the 'Snuff grenade' it was a very lightweight ball made of cardboard and papier mache, and fitted with a firework style igniter / burster tube. The empty grenade weighs only 132 grams. Filled with snuff it was designed to disable enemy troops by blinding them and making it hard to breath. Most probably best used in bunker clearing.

The label appears to read Captain R Glossop's One Hand Grenade. It is thought to have been made by Brocks, the fireworks maker.

The conversation on Sunday informed me that these were used operationally in 1915.

Here are some photos.

DSCN7539.jpgDSCN7543.jpgDSCN7540.jpg

The grenade is from the Bonney / Saffery collection.
 
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From a military identification manual:

DATA SHEET NO 2/19 - GRENADE SNUFF
1. DATE OF INTRODUCTION: About 1915 [the grenade was not formally introduced into Service and 'Likely Design Date' would probably be a better title
2. DIMENSIONS:
Length/Height: 120mm including fuze
Diameter 106mm] ignited with a brassard.
3. WEIGHT:
Filled: Not known
Empty: 151g
4. FILLING: Powdered mixture including snuff
5. FUZE TYPE: Brock's match head striker, short delay fuze and bursting composition.
6. DESIGN FEATURES: The grenade consists of a spherical cardboard body filled with a powdered mixture. The body is fitted with a central cardboard tube containing the fuze. The grenade is wrapped in black waterproof tape. The fuze head is covered with waterproofed paper tape and is fitted with a cloth band which is pulled to expose the match head. The grenade is ignited with a brassard.
7. REMARKS: The grenade was designed and manufactured by Brock’s Fireworks as an irritant grenade for use in dug-out clearing.
8. PHOTOGRAPHS: As per those shown on the link.
 
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