Battye Gren

[gothica7]

Got this recently, a 1915 Battye gren. In pretty good condition[thanks Ben] and unusual in that it came with a wooden transit plug, something i havnt seen before.

Andy

 

[Millsman]

Nice one Andy. I've not seen the plug before. Looks original too.

John

 

[paul the grenade]

I missed this one somehow!!
heres a small selection of Battyes with fuzes and transit plugs/golf tees.
the right hand gren is larger and very poorly cast and with a strange wood fuze plug that has raised sides. anyone got any info on this variation?
cheers, paul.

 

[gothica7]

Hi Paul,

i am new to these grens but i see from your fantastic collection that there is a great degree of variation and actually ime not suprised. As they were a rushed stop gap design till the Mills bomb became more available i suspect anything would do as long as it looked right and worked. They didnt need to be made to such fine tollerances as the Mills bomb in order to do the job that they were intended for. However i understand they were a dangerous gren with many blinds and prematures and were soon withdrawn from service.

I have seen a gren like the one on the RHS of your picture before, i think for sale on SA but quite a while back. I feel i could get into collecting more of these, i must try and supress the urge.:crossedlips:

Great pics bud, thanks for showing.

Andy

 

[millsbomber]

Here's my example, there were wires that held in the fuse the wire run right round the body and was held in place at the bottom by one segment cut,,,,,, Dave

 

[Fragman]

Hi. My one is on the left. Looks like it came out of the same box as Daves. The photo of the one on the right, showing the high topped fuze holder, I got from the Internet a few years back (probably eBay). Cheers

 

[Millsman]

I've got a few of these but have never seen the one with the protective shoulders before. That must be a rare one. As most people know these were made in the Royal Engineers workshop in Bethune under Col Battye's supervision. There were many blinds due to the wooden plugs falling out (hence the wire) and also many fell into water and went out. An interesting stop gap.

John

 

[dano1917]

I too had never seen a Barrye with the shoulders, most interesting. Possible rifle grenade????/ Dano

 

[gothica7]

I too had never seen a Barrye with the shoulders, most interesting. Possible rifle grenade????/ Dano

Hi Dano,

dont think so bud, no way of launching it and the Brit gren launchers not invented in 1915. Initially they were for the Mills bomb. It was a dangerous gren, troops did not like it much due to its inclination to premature and that in damp conditions there were a lot of blinds.

Andy

 

[paul the grenade]

maybe the wood extentions were to support a protective cap of some sort?

 

[gothica7]

Could it have been to protect the rather flimsy fuze?

I certainly think that there isnt enough info out there on this gren, rough and ready stop gap that it was but it certainly helped the war effort ime sure. As did all the jam tin jobbies too.

Andy