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A couple of Mills Grenade questions

roller63

roller63

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
I have been having a sort out of my collection, and this prompted me to think of the following Mills Grenade related questions.

1. Were any Mills Grenades made in the 1920's or 1930's ? If so does anyone have any base plugs dated from these dates ? I'm thinking that probably not many if any, maybe due to a lot left over from WW 1 and no major need for them ?

2. There are quite a few Mills Grenade wooden boxes around at the moment for sale. Most I have seen are marked " For Naval use only" What does that denote ? The only thing that comes to my mind is they might all have the longer 7 second detonators, to be fired from a rifle cup ?

Any information and comments welcome. Tony.
 
mvc-076s.jpgmvc-077s.jpg
Tony . I've never actually seen a 1920's dated Mills but that is NOT to say there aren't any . Ones from the late 30's crop up from time to time but aren't common . The photos are of a 1937 dated Mk2 drill by RL , dated on both plug & body . Mike .
 
Thanks Mike. That's a nice item and good to see the body clearly dated as well. I'm sure I have seen 1938 and 39 dated base plugs over the years.
 
Hi Tony

I think production hardly ticked over in the 1930's. Even in 1939 only 350,000 Mills 36's were produced. I suspect a large amount of older stock grenades were used in live training with the huge influx of recruits in 39-40. I have rarely seen any 30's plugs even 39's. Never seen a 1920's. They had huge stocks left over at the end of the Great War enough for training between the wars I suspect.

The Mills boxes with Navy markings apparently come from Essex where a lady has been selling a large stock of them. No lids though. Dug Up had the first at W&P in 2015. They are still appearing.

John
 
Thanks John. It's looking like the 1920's might be the only decade with no Mills made from the end of WW1 to the 1970's.

What are your thoughts re the "Naval use only" What do you think this relates to ?

Tony.
 
The navy uses grenades just the same as the other services, correct me if I'm wrong but are the SBS and marines navy
 
navy ordnance is usually sealed and coated more than land service to protect it from the elements when at sea.but that still dosent explain navy use only
 
roller63 said:
What are your thoughts re the "Naval use only" What do you think this relates to ?

Tony.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with Dave. Royal Marines SBS and maybe a stock on ships for anti diver use (although the Mills never was a 100% under water). I can't see what the difference would be. The 36 with three red crosses was already 'tropicalised' and should have been suitably protected. I know a retired SBS man (50's to late 60's) and he never mentioned anything about their 36's being special.

John
 
kiwieod said:
navy ordnance is usually sealed and coated more than land service to protect it from the elements when at sea.but that still dosent explain navy use only
Click to expand...

The Navy always had a reputation for having its kit 'gold plated' but I don't believe it in this case. There would be no reason to store grenades on deck where they would be fully exposed to the elements.

John
 
Yes . It's the Mk II with the larger threaded hole in the base plug used with the drill grenades fitted with a gas check for the cup discharger practice .
 
Land service filling - Baratol
Naval Service - TNT

As far as I'm aware most Royal Naval vessels carried a selection of infantry weapons for use of the ship's company/Royal Marine attachment, should circumstances dictate.

Depending on the date, the grenades could have been intended for use with the Holman Projector.

TimG
 
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Thanks for that Tim. So maybe a different filling and used for the Holman Projector ? Very interesting.
 
any ordnance stowed anywhere on a ship is subjected to a harsh envirionment.it could be taken out and not used and put back several times,being exposed each time.could also be taken into small boats for shore partys/landing on other craft etc
 
TimG said:
Land service filling - Baratol
Naval Service - TNT

As far as I'm aware most Royal Naval vessels carried a selection of infantry weapons for use of the ship's company/Royal Marine attachment, should circumstances dictate.

Depending on the date, the grenades could have been intended for use with the Holman Projector.

TimG
Click to expand...

.
Tim. TNT as a grenade filling ? Never heard of that for a Mills as they normally use a TNT mix like Baratol or similar . I suspect TNT on its own would be a tad harsh for a grenade....
 
"British Grenades" a RMCS publication
Textbook of Ammunition 1926

All the 'Naval use only' boxes I've seen (not that many to be honest) are clearly marked TNT. 'Explosion' has a couple of examples (which prompted my research).

TimG
 
Tim . Could it possibly mean "contains some TNT" ? I would have thought TNT on its own would reduce a grenade to dust upon explosion thus negating the shrapnel effect but , then again , I'm not an expert . Perhaps Bonnex could enlighten us ? Thanks . Mike
 
Interesting, because it's doubtful if the UK was actually producing any grenades at that time and would have been using up WW1 stocks where there was no TNT filling (that we know of).

John
 
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