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Mills question, simple.

917601

Well-Known Member
Which side does the safety ring sit on the Mills grenade? Looking at the lever, is the ring on the left, or right side? Pictures on the net are all different, what is correct?
 

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Perennial question. Considering that the right handers out number southpaws by a goodly margin, #1 is probably correct. Gripping grenade with right hand, spoon/lever in web of thumb and index finger, places pull ring in easiest position for left hand to pull ring. That's my opinion and I'm stickin' to it.

Or you can John Wayne it, using your teeth. Dentists love that style of 'nade tossing.
 
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If you read the training pamphlets it usually mentions which side the pin is meant to be on, i did read somewhere that the grenade is held upside down for opposite hand throwers with the pin being accessible either way.
 
It took awhile, from a Home Guard WW2 training manual...thumb on filling plug....lefties can hold down lever and switch pin.....guess it does not matter.

"
  • 4 Jan 1943 - Home Guard course notes

    "Course ----- BOMBING"

    "
    '36' GRENADE (H.E.)"

    "
    EMPLOYMENT.
    "Ensure first that your comrades are under cover or know your intention to throw, so that they can fall flat, owing to the shrapnel.
    "Accuracy very essential. Better for grenade to fall slightly short of target than over, as it may thereby roll towards target & not away.
    "Lob it, do not "sling" or "chuck" it, unless necessary to to so under certain conditions. Lobbing lends itself to greater height & accuracy.
    "HOLDING.
    "Hold in throwing hand, with thumb on filling screw. (Note; Left-handed throwers may hold down striker lever & reverse safety pin, i.e. insert from the left).
    "Do not grip the grenade tightly, just use a nice steady grip, as gripping causes a lag in releasing the grenade.
    "Hold hand into hip until ready to throw, forefing (sic) of other hand hooked through ring on safety pin. Stand in a comforta (sic)
    "
    KEEP EYES ON TARGET.
    "When ready, extend throwing arm away from, & in line with target, putting weight on that foot & slightly bending knee. Withdraw pin, retaining the ring on forefinger, quicklyglance down at grenade to make sure the pin is out & return eyes to target, then extend free hand towards & in line with target & when ready to throw the grenade overarm, releasing it just before coming overhead.
    "Counting 3, watch it fall & land, then duck behind your cover, if any, or fall flat on face.
    "Do not throw safety pin away, it may come in useful.
    "Note:- It is advisable to throw this grenade from behind cover, but can be thrown, so long as the thrower falls flat on the ground after throwing.""

and more:
EXERCISES
"1. - Standing Position.
" 1. Ready Position. Pick up a grenade. Hold it in the right hand, base downwards, the lever under the base of the fingers, the thumb just below the filling screw gripping it firmly. Place the first or second finger of the left hand through the ring of the safety pin - the hands with the knuckles uppermost and close to the waist. Face the target, turn to the right and balance the body by carrying off the left foot towards the target.
" 2. Prepare to throw. Keeping the left arm still and close to the body, withdraw the pin (during practice go through the action of withdrawing the pin) by thrusting the right hand downwards and backwards. Glance at the shoulders of the grenade to see that the hole pin has been drawn out. Keep the pin until the grenade has been thrown.
" 3. Throw. Fix the eyes on, or in the direction of the target, keeping the left shoulder pointing at the target. Slightly bend the right knee. Swing back as far as possible, allowing the left arm (and foot if necessary) to come up naturally. Without a pause swing quickly forward, keeping the right arm upright and deliver the grenade.
" NOTE. When throwing in open country lie down at once after throwing to avoid fragments.
 
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I've checked the original L series instructions issued to manufacturers and the nearest I could find in relation to the fitting of the pin and ring was that 'the grenade should be assembled as in the diagram'

All the official diagrams show the ring on the left hand side.

In the field left handed bombers possibly swapped the ring side before fitting the igniter set.
 
Left or right throwers should always have the lever in palm of hand so if injured the fingers may relax but grenade lever should stay in palm..... ???????
Dave
 
I’ve often wondered this, to the degree it driving me mad, I love originality like the early mills having the small ring, but in times of war and rushed production did it really matter? I’ve seen photos of grenades in issue crates (as I’m sure a lot of you have) and have been on both sides.
I once discussed this with a WW2 Staff Sergeant in the local Royal British Legion Club, he taught grenade drill and he said grenade was gripped with lever inside palm with ring in left side, I’m left handed and asked what about them? He said all were trained with grenade in right arm if left or right handed, also added that in the field it was normal for grenades to be thrown from left and right arm depending on situation.
I was told at a living history display that ww1 it was usual for base plug to be uppermost with lever in palm, that would mean ring would have been on other side !
 
I was in the NZ territorials in the 90s and I remember left handed throwers being told to hold the grenade upside down which put the pin in the correct orientation for pulling with the opposite hand
 
Again the manuals were always followed by the letter otherwise accidents would ocurr between platoons and company's who done otherwise, doing your own thing would result in being frogmarched to the glass house. Reading up on range procedures there are very strict rules to keep to the book with exceptions of amendments resulting to better and easy practices or accidents that occurred during training. I know of three war time accidents with grenades two resulting in death during throwing practice.
 
It's imteresting that most Home Guard deaths occurred on the grenade ranges as did their bravery awards.
 
Funny enough one of the accidents resulted in a grenade accidentally being dropped with pin removed with the instructor Home guard and territorials (a good family friend, now long gone)pushing the trainee around the corner of the walled grenade entrenchment which saved both lives. For over fifty years since the incident the instructor could never raise his arm over his head bowling wise because of the shock and blast until he went to get it sorted by a osteopath.
 
This picture from a WW1 post card was what got me to noticing pin placement. I spent much time on the Internet researching British training manuals. Depending on the era, some earlier ones stated when throwing - base plug up!... then some later ones stated base plug down. By WW2 era, all said base plug down, and switch pin placement for lefties. It is apparent the training manuals switched back and forth over the years.
 

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It's worth noting that the photo is from a German postcard. It's possible the grenade was stripped and reassembled before the photo was taken. The Mills is clearly an early version, small ring, slab sided lever etc.

William Mills personally led training sessions with the Army in 1915. He wrote the first instructions for the army in early 1915 (April). Later as bombing schools were establish some published their own instructions based upon their experience.
 
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