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69 grenade dates

BMG50

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
I have three 69 grenades dated and marked 1940 1941 and 1942 were there any other dates ie 1939 or 1943.
 
Many years ago (1975 - 1977) I dug up about 600 No69's on the Plumstead marshes before it was all developed. I only recovered the dates that you mention, no 1939, 1943 or 1944.
 
That's all need to know as I have the three dated examples from each year.
 
I'm pretty sure there are no pre 1940 versions (except maybe a prototype somewhere).
 
The three dates 40 41and 42 most probably concludes the dates of the bodies made but I assume the 247 fuzes made for the 77 and gammon were made later.
 
the no 69 was in Brit service until 1947 (or later?), right? assume then that they were still using wartime stock until the end or service, and not manufacturing more? were all no 69s (bodies at least) made by De La Rue?
 
No, the 69 was also produced in Canada and Australia. Australian ones are easy to tell as they are Brown rather than black and are made by Ring-Grip, Canadian ones have an S in a Circle For Joseph Stokes Rubber Co.
 
Canadian –

Duplate Canada Ltd, Oshawa.

General Electric, Canada manufactured 247 fuzes and quite possibly manufactured complete grenades.

Australia –

The attributing of Airzone (1931) Ltd., Parramatta Road, Camperdown, Sydney as a manufacturer is a little complex. Airzone were one of Australia’s largest manufacturers of radios. The few Australian 69s I’ve seen, the AIR is accompanied by an “N”

Held at the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences (Power House Museum) Sydney, NSW is the following exhibit https://collection.maas.museum/object/240333 , sadly no image. However, if one looks at the full description it states 'Marks - "No.69 I / N - AIR.42 / N.", on base', it also states that the exhibit was made and presented by Nally's Ltd., Sydney, 1944. Museums are sometimes the worst offenders for incorrectly identifying their exhibits, however Arthur de Ramon Penfold, a former industrial chemist was a curator and latterly a director of the museum. Penfold had a great interest in plastic and Nally it would appear made a large number of donations, thus one would like to think that the provenance can be accepted as correct. As stated Airzone made radios and the ones of this period were invariably housed in large bakelite enclosures, I've been unable to ascertain whether they were made in house or supplied by the likes of Nally. The above attribution by the museum and the presence of "AIR" makes it all rather confusing. Nally did manufacture other ordnance items in bakelite.

The manufacturer of the following, which is/was one of Millsbomber’s is as yet unidentified -

HPIM7619.jpg

TimG
 
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iBngv2TPR3i90RAy2oWQfA_thumb_3fc.jpgzP3PcMG0REWaHDRExgy4KQ_thumb_3fb.jpgHiCXY3hLTpWXj%PAm3JoaQ_thumb_3fd.jpghvLvT9hpRqytM1+Vtcykvw_thumb_3fe.jpgTwo Australian No69 Grenades showing base markings.
Interesting about Nally's. I just used D.Lynn book ID.
 
Canadian –

Duplate Canada Ltd, Oshawa.

General Electric, Canada manufactured 247 fuzes and quite possibly manufactured complete grenades.

Australia –

The attributing of Airzone (1931) Ltd., Parramatta Road, Camperdown, Sydney as a manufacturer is a little complex. Airzone were one of Australia’s largest manufacturers of radios. The few Australian 69s I’ve seen, the AIR is accompanied by an “N”

Held at the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences (Power House Museum) Sydney, NSW is the following exhibit https://collection.maas.museum/object/240333 , sadly no image. However, if one looks at the full description it states 'Marks - "No.69 I / N - AIR.42 / N.", on base', it also states that the exhibit was made and presented by Nally's Ltd., Sydney, 1944. Museums are sometimes the worst offenders for incorrectly identifying their exhibits, however Arthur de Ramon Penfold, a former industrial chemist was a curator and latterly a director of the museum. Penfold had a great interest in plastic and Nally it would appear made a large number of donations, thus one would like to think that the provenance can be accepted as correct. As stated Airzone made radios and the ones of this period were invariably housed in large bakelite enclosures, I've been unable to ascertain whether they were made in house or supplied by the likes of Nally. The above attribution by the museum and the presence of "AIR" makes it all rather confusing. Nally did manufacture other ordnance items in bakelite.

The manufacturer of the following, which is/was one of Millsbomber’s is as yet unidentified -

View attachment 146231

TimG
That would seem to be Ring Grip too, the same G overstruck R mark is on some of their electrical fittings. The Australian order for No69s seems to be split 50:50 between Cook & Williams Pty Ltd (Ring Grip) assisted by Moulded Products, and Airzone assisted by both Nally Ltd and A. W. Barr. If I'm reading it right, Cook & Williams used their own mouldings as well as Moulded Products, that possibly explains the two different Ring Grip No69 markings and/or the "M-" on the above.
 

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Basilisk,

Thank you very much for that. I had always taken the 'G' for a 'C', your image of the three pin socket unequivocally shows it to be 'G'

TimG
 
It's on the tip of the red switch too, not the best photo but it's there.

I'm just happy to have contributed in some small way to the vast body of knowledge here.

I figured if you haven't found any "CR" manufacturer maybe the letters are around the other way, but there doesn't seem to be an Australian plastics company with initials "RC" around at the time, but what if it is not a C but a G. And luckily there are people selling old Ring Grip electrical bits and bobs on ebay, including a Ring Grip red bakelite powerpoint, which has both the RG monogram and the RING GRIP text on the back, both just like you see on the grenades and it is even the same colour!
 
heres a canadian No69 thats dated 43
 

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