Does anyone have any additional information on this unusual blast bomb?
Cheers
Pete
Cheers
Pete
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Blast Bomb
- Thread starter peteblight
- Start date
According the Rick Landers in his book 'Grenade' they were used by Australian troops against Japanese bunkers in 1945. The Mills 36 was attached to a 2 pound demolition charge filled with Baratol or Ammonal and a Priming chord used to link the two. Known as a 'Blockbuster' by the Australians and devised by field engineers.
Giac
The Grenade Initiated Ammonal Charge shown in the excellent photograph in the opening post was developed in the field in the fighting in Papua - New Guinea in 1942. A sketch of the charge is shown in the attached, with a brief memo concerning Blast Bomb alternatives that had been tried or considered during the fighting around Buna-Gona on the east coast of PNG.
One of the alternatives was a 25pr cartridge filled with Gelignite, which was found too cumbersome to use. The British No.73 (filled weight 4lb) grenade might have found some use for posting into Japanese bunkers, but lacking that, the extemporised Grenade Initiated Ammonal Charge (weighing 3.5-4lb) was developed.
The drawing of the Blast Bomb MkII of the opening post appears to be the Blockbuster mentioned and shown in Rick Landers' book - the uncropped photograph is included below, the caption stating "Finisterre Ranges, New Guinea, January 1944. Private JT Carrigan of D Company, 2/9 th Infantry Battalion with a "Blockbuster" which is used for blasting enemy pill boxes".
Tom.
The Grenade Initiated Ammonal Charge shown in the excellent photograph in the opening post was developed in the field in the fighting in Papua - New Guinea in 1942. A sketch of the charge is shown in the attached, with a brief memo concerning Blast Bomb alternatives that had been tried or considered during the fighting around Buna-Gona on the east coast of PNG.
One of the alternatives was a 25pr cartridge filled with Gelignite, which was found too cumbersome to use. The British No.73 (filled weight 4lb) grenade might have found some use for posting into Japanese bunkers, but lacking that, the extemporised Grenade Initiated Ammonal Charge (weighing 3.5-4lb) was developed.
The drawing of the Blast Bomb MkII of the opening post appears to be the Blockbuster mentioned and shown in Rick Landers' book - the uncropped photograph is included below, the caption stating "Finisterre Ranges, New Guinea, January 1944. Private JT Carrigan of D Company, 2/9 th Infantry Battalion with a "Blockbuster" which is used for blasting enemy pill boxes".
Drawings courtesy of AWM library (or it might have been National Archives, Melbourne).
Photo courtesy of Australian War Memorial website.
Tom.
