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Grenade No.69, British, WW2

pzgr40

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Cutaway model of British WW2 Grenade No.69.

The Grenade No.69 is a Bakelite handgrenade, adopted into service as there was a need for a handgrenade with a much smaller lethal radius than the cast iron No.36 Mills grenade.

The Grenade No.69 uses an all-ways impact fuze, which detonates the grenade upon impact.

Description and functioning of the all-ways fuze:
The open firing cap is placed in a hard lead cylinder with a chamfered edge on the side of the firing cap. A channel is drilled through the cylinder, housing the firing pin. The firing pin has a disc in top with a chamfered edge towards the centre. A lead ball is placed in this disc. A radial hole is drilled through the firing pin, blocking it from inward movement toward the firing cap if the safety pin is stuck through. The safety pin is connected to a linen tape with a curved lead weight at the other end. The firing pin is kept away from the firing cap by a weak spring.
The hole in the fuze in which the fuze assembly is placed also has two chamfered edges in top and bottom.

Before throwing the grenade, the Bakelite cap is screwed off and discarded. The thumb is kept on the curved lead weight to avoid the grenade from premature arming. When thrown , the linen tap unrolls, pulling the safety pin from the grenade during flight. The grenade is now armed.

It does not matter in which position the grenade lands:

-Perpendicular on base: inertia will push the lead ball with the firing pin down into the firing cap.
-Perpendicular on the fuze: inertia will push the firing cap cylinder into the firing pin.
-Landing on its side: The ball, either the firing cap housing will be swung to the side due to inertia, rolling along the chamfered edges of the fuze housing. This will change a vertical movement into a horizontal one, pushing the firing pin into the firing cap housing, allowing the firing pin to ignite the firing cap.

The Grenade No.69 was taken into service in 1942, and was withdrawn from service in 1947.

Length : 114 mm
Diameter : 60 mm
Weight complete grenade : 383 gram
Weight explosive filler : 92 gram

It must be noted that a No.69 dud should not be touched, and is to be blown on the spot without touching or moving as the fuze is very sensitive once armed.

Regards, DJH
 

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  • Grenade No.69 cutaway model.jpg
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  • Grenade No.69 backside.jpg
    Grenade No.69 backside.jpg
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Would someone that has a No.69 grenade be able to measure the length and width of it? Diagrams I've collected don't seem to fit the dimensions that given in various sources.

Thanks.
 
The bodies without fuze on the 69's are 3.1" long & 2.4" at their widest . Hope this helps .
 
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