Improvised WW1 Rifle Grenade

[Buster]

I came across this in an early edition of the Royal Engineers Journal and thought it might be of interest to our grenade collectors.

 

[TimG]

Part of the research for the next/current project?

TimG

 

[Buster]

Yes Tim it is, but a long way to go.

 

[Millsman]

Is the diagram dated?

 

[Snufkin]

The Bangalore Improvised Grenade MkII, Universal Pattern (dwg post#1) was developed in 1914 under Major R L McClintock* DSO RE of the Madras Sappers and Miners, as it was felt highly unlikely that the Indian Army would ever get hold of the Hale's (Cotton Powder Co.) rifle grenade.

The Bangalore Improvised Grenade MkII was in turn a development of a local RE 1913 Time and Percussion extemporised hand grenade (attached dwg), which came about as it was also doubted that the very scarce RL (No.1) hand grenade would ever appear in India.

*Major McClintock was credited with the invention of the Bangalore torpedo.




Tom.

 

[Millsman]

Thanks Tom

Did it get into any form of production? Was it brought to France with the Indian troops which is I suppose the big question.

John

 

[Buster]

I am not sure how to post the whole document on here, but if anyone wants a copy if they send me their email address in private msgs I will send it to them as an attachment.

 

[Snufkin]

Did it get into any form of production? Was it brought to France with the Indian troops which is I suppose the big question.

The costs of local materials and labour to make both grenades were listed in detail by the Indian RE, which suggests that limited production of each grenade was undertaken in India. A period photograph (attached, and included in the particular RE journal) shows the various ways of firing the rifle grenade being demonstrated, and tends to support the case that at least modest numbers were made in India for regional use.

As to the grenades appearing in France, a definitive answer might only come from Indian unit diaries. When the Indian Army Corps arrived in France in late 1914, because of its historic paucity of authorised siege warfare stores, it almost certainly had more expertise in making improvised grenades and mortars than any other unit of the British Army. It would be surprising if the Indian Corps had not used the grenades in France, and the Battye (or Bethune) bomb also came from this stable - Captain Basil C. Battye RE was from the Bombay Sappers and Miners.



Tom.

 

[Millsman]

Thanks very much Tom. I suppose that when the Indian troops came to Europe the reverse of the supply problem in India applied. It would have been far easier to get grenades fro the UK. I'm sure they brought some with them but it may have only been a small amount. Interesting sideshow to the main event.