Box for Practice Mills

[Fragman]

Hi. Whats the LP stand for with a No36 M LP? Cheers

 

[millsbomber]

Im only Geussing here but i would say land practice,,,,, Dave

 

[Fragman]

Hi Dave, I was a little concerned the answer would be well known (aka dumb question). Another couple of options I thought of for the "L" was loading or lobbing. Land would seem the most likely. Hopefully there'll be confirming documentation somewhere. Cheers

 

[Millsman]

As they come with 12 drill det sets could it be 'Loading Practice' i.e. for adding the det but not for repeated firing?

John

 

[millsbomber]

Like that one John, is the box made by the ford motor company, iv not seen this type before.... Dave

 

[Fragman]

Hi guys. Thanks for the comments. I like the idea of it meaning "Loading Practice". It is a strange one and the only one I've seen like it. It was made by ford. Cheers

 

[Bonnex]

I suspect "Local Pattern" but I cannot find it in the usual decode lists.

 

[Fragman]

Hi Bonnex. I was talking to a chap yesterday who suggested "Local Pattern". Apparently we stamped LP on sten guns made in NZ as well, and that stood for local pattern. I picked the box up yesterday and it's quite a beauty. It's been double stamped by ford, indicating the dark painting and stenciling was done at the factory. Cheers

I suspect "Local Pattern" but I cannot find it in the usual decode lists.

 

[Bonnex]

If it does mean Local Pattern then presumably there will be examples of 36 Practice grenades that are peculiar to NZ. The addition of holes in 36 Practice grenades under local arrangements (c. 1936) did not, as far as I am aware, prompt the use of 'local pattern' but then the programme was just amending grenades to the latest design.

There were of course "I.P." (India Pattern) and possibly "C.P." (Canadian Pattern) notations.

 

[gothica7]

Hi Norman,

I thought ' I P' was Ishapore Pattern?

Andy

 

[gothica7]

No, i suspect you are right there Norman, just had a look at the GWF and i think ime wrong, sorry.

Andy

 

[smle2009]

Hi Andy,
Norman is correct,IP is India pattern, Ishaphore would be RFI,Rifle Factory Ishapore

Cheers
Tony

 

[Fragman]

If it does mean Local Pattern then presumably there will be examples of 36 Practice grenades that are peculiar to NZ.

I'm aware of two patterns peculiar to NZ. One of which I posted a thread about it a while back. It was designed for rifle grenade practice. It has no moving parts and nowhere to put a dummy det. The other one is an HE type designed with integral gas checks (aka ringed mills). There's a good photo of one on page 118 of "GRENADE British and Commonwealth Hand and Rifle Grenades" by Rick Landers. They were for rifle use only, so I doubt the box was for them. If it does mean Local Pattern, I suspect it will be referring to the dummy detonators. Cheers

 

[Fragman]

Hi. Ive finally managed to track down the det tin that goes with the practice Mills box. It is also marked L.P, so Im reasonably confident it stands for Local Pattern. Interesting to note that the dummy dets were made by Pallo Engineering and only packed by the Ford Motor Company. Cheers