booby trap M36

[25thapril]

Hello all I was at a cartridge collecting/swap meet a few weeks back bored as hell listening to grown men talking about headstamps etc blah blah blah. When the host asked if I would like to see his collection of other items including grenades. Well that got me interested so look I did. He had the basic types you get over here in Australia M36 m36 m36 m36 etc But in amongst them there was a few gems including 2 M36's that I believe had been set up as booby traps so have a look at the pic's and see what you think these two items came from WW2 training areas He also had a very good condition No23 and a gibson spring
Please note I managed to get one of the 36's for my collection and the others have my name on them LOL
It would appear that the lever has been removed and a flat piece of metal with a hole in one end has then been used to replace the lever, the grenade could have been fixed to position and a tripwire tied through hole in the metal strip to another position the metal strip only needs to be pulled approx 3-5mm for the spring to work whereas the pull ring needs to be pulled approx 20mm for a normal operation.
Regards Daryl

 

[sgtlynn]

Very interesting, haven't seen that before, but it sounds feasible. Thanks for showing them.

 

[Yodamaster]

Hi 25thapril,

very interesting thing ! Thanks for sharing.

Yoda

 

[gothica7]

Hi Daryl,

the 36s are a really nice find. Probably worth a good clean up then i would be tempted to see how easily the modification works and how much pressure or perhaps pull is needed to see the thing work. This would add a lot of credence to them being booby trap grens and therefore in my book, very rare bits of kit.
Thanks for showing.

Andy

 

[V40]

Daryl,

did he mention what the time delay was for each. I am thinking that the fuse delay would be 0? I am also thinking that the size and weight of those pieces of metal that hold the striker back would be somewhat silent when released instead of the noise/sound with a normal spoon. Quite ingeneous if you ask me.

Andy very good response as I would like to know myself.

 

[Bonnex]

There was a design for a zero time igniter set known as "Detonator, Instantaneous, No 36 M Grenade, Mark 1" which was part of the kit for No 36BT "Grenade, No36M, HE, Mk 1 (For Booby Trap Use)". Basically a No 36 fitted with an open container (in use rigged to allow the grenade to drop out when tripped). The only other difference with the grenade was the addition of tinned plate label reading, for some reason, "This Grenade Must Not be Fired From a Rifle or Thrown by Hand". The lever was a regular full sized one.

The SOE designed a booby trap device using an instantaneous fuzed No 36 for use in snow and therefore painted white!!!

 

[V40]

Interesting N., very interesting.

 

[25thapril]

it works OK

thought I would see if this type of booby trap set up would work so cut a piece of thin gauge steel added a hole on end and fitted it . Only needs to be pulled approx 2mm to release the spring
Regards Daryl

 

[navyman]

I'm probably being dense here, but why doesn't the striker drop as soon as the pin is removed as with an ordinary lever?
navyman.

 

[paul the grenade]

looks like there would be no need to remove the pin.

 

[gothica7]

Must have been very dodgy setting it up then, more so if using an instant fuze? Probably why it didnt come into regular use.