British smoke grenade pre 1932

[EOD]

Is there any info on this smoke/chemical grenade whcih was supposed to be used with a 2inch launcher cup? Was it experimental/developmental or did it have a number issued?
The diagram is from a Russian document dated 1932.

 

[Bonnex]

It is a White Phosphorus smoke grenade developed in the 1920's. It's designation is Grenade, Hand or Rifle, No 55 WP Mark I (other minor variations to the designation were used).

It uses an Allways fuze based on Humphries design and was one of a series of grenades produced for the 2-inch discharger cup of which the No 54, No 55 and No 56 made the Service list.

It would be nice to see the complete document referring to this grenade. The diagram is copied from the British Textbook of Small Arms 1929.

They were not very successful and not many were made. I only know of one in existence.

 

[smle2009]

There is a brief mention of it on page 36 of Skennertons intro to British grenades,the only thing to be added from it to Bonnex's info is that because of problems with leakage all stocks held in store were withdrawn from store for destruction in 1929.

 

[EOD]

It is a White Phosphorus smoke grenade developed in the 1920's. It's designation is Grenade, Hand or Rifle, No 55 WP Mark I (other minor variations to the designation were used).

It uses an Allways fuze based on Humphries design and was one of a series of grenades produced for the 2-inch discharger cup of which the No 54, No 55 and No 56 made the Service list.

It would be nice to see the complete document referring to this grenade. The diagram is copied from the British Textbook of Small Arms 1929.

They were not very successful and not many were made. I only know of one in existence.

Bonnex, thanks a lot! Teh info given there is very general and no figures or real facts. It is all in Russian, if you can read it I can post it (despite the lack or real info there - hence my posting here).

 

[Bonnex]

Bonnex, thanks a lot! Teh info given there is very general and no figures or real facts. It is all in Russian, if you can read it I can post it (despite the lack or real info there - hence my posting here).

Thanks EOD, in view of what you have said about it no need to send the document but thanks for the offer.

The 2-inch discharger programme was not very successful so we reverted to the 2.5-inch cup discharger in the 1930s. Designs for 2-inch grenades, particularly signal grenades, were reworked to fit the larger calibre discharger but, although an HCE filled smoke grenade was included in the requirements, as far as I am aware a WP rifle grenade was not. WP hand grenades were designed at Porton during the late 30's/WW2 but it wasn't until the No 80 was put on a tail tube (became No 87) that a rifle launched WP grenade became available.

 

[EOD]

Thanks for the background Bonnex.

Now I wonder if the body of the grenade was strong enough to withstand the pressure in a launcher cup (mainly in tha base section). I would have thought that the gas pressure may crush the thin body or?

 

[Bonnex]

Thanks for the background Bonnex.

Now I wonder if the body of the grenade was strong enough to withstand the pressure in a launcher cup (mainly in tha base section). I would have thought that the gas pressure may crush the thin body or?

EOD,

Good point but reports in the Small Arms Committee do not comment on this being an issue (the thickness of the of the tin plate body was 0.018-inches). It seems that the sealing of the container was the troublesome factor. There was an experimental version of the No 55 with twice the body length - this was for screening tanks - but I expect it was only projected (or thrown) short distances and perhaps collapse of the body was not an issue.