Egg-grenade

[F0031]

Bought this in a shop recently, described as WW-II egg grenade. After some idle browsing I see thooks like a WW1 German 1917 Eirehandgranate. Were these ever used in the second world war? Underside of the body has some illegible marking and a large 0. The cap is marked M1.

 

[Grenademan2005]

Yes, it is a WWI grenade with the transport plug. These grenades were used here in the Spanish Civil War, but in very small quantities, so Im quite sure that these didnt see service at WWII.

 

[Tmine35]

Some of these has been found from here, left behind by German troops during WW2.

 

[Grenademan2005]

Reino, this means that they saw service in WWII? Or maybe they are from a WWI stock or surplus bought by Finnish army and used against Russians?

 

[MG34NZ]

Very nice little egg! I love these grenades

I have seen one of these years ago with a WaA stamp on the transport plug. Possiably my friend still has this grenade.I will ask when I visit him in a couple of weeks and if he still has it get a pic.

I have a M1917 Stick grenade reputed to have been found in Holland in WWII , inerted and brought home as a souvineer by an Allied soldier, I purchaced the Grenade direct from the family of the Veterin who remembered him bringing it home so I dont doubt that remaining old stocks would have been pressed into service, and possiably it was old war reserve stock from WWI held by countrys occupied by German forces and then seized and reused again by Germany?

Looking for a fuze for one of these grenades if you have a spare??

Regards
MG34NZ

 

[Mariusz Loslau]

Hi,
And here german M17 egg grenade, in service in Polisch army (after modification) fitted with
GRN 31 and AC 23 fuze.
Best regards.

 

[Tmine35]

Reino, this means that they saw service in WWII? Or maybe they are from a WWI stock or surplus bought by Finnish army and used against Russians?

They have been found from WW2 German camp areas. Finnish WW2 manuals describe them as well, however I don't know if they were purchase for Finnish Army before or during the war.

 

[Grenademan2005]

This is really interesting. Andrew, WWI stickgrenades is known that were used at the begining of the war or found in stocks during the war. But these little eggs, is the first notice that I have and Im sure for many of us too. Spotter!, you see here that this is the best forum on the net for ordnance collectors. Mariusz, your nice grenade were used here in Spain too during the Civil War.

 

[MG34NZ]

Heres a few pics of eggs...including the interesting one I mentioned above with the Nazi stamp on the transport plug...the bugger still wont sell them to me....

 

[dano1917]

m1917 egg used in WW2

I have been looking, and can't find it yet, but I have a book with a picture and caption showing WW2 Greman soldiers with the M1917 egg grenade. The caption says they were issued to 2nd line troops as was the case with much left-over ww1 stuff. I will post pic when I find it. So YES they WERE used in WW2 by Germany and other countries also. Dano By the way that is the first transport plug i've ever seen with the Nazi proof on it. Interesting to say the least.

 

[Birdseye]

It almost looks like a driving band around them. Where they ever shot from anything?

 

[Lou]

I have a nice little example of this grenade too.I dont know if its true or not but Ive been told that these may also have been issued to German paratroopers,due to the small size and light weight.

 

[Lou]

It almost looks like a driving band around them. Where they ever shot from anything?

From what little I know,the band around the grenade is an evolution,the earlyest of these grenades had a smooth body and were difficult to use when your hands were wet and muddy.So the later models had this band that provided a little more grip when pulling the fuze wire and for throwing.

 

[Grenademan2005]

That band were for add more fragmentation to the grenade too. There are sevreal types of bands: first model with small grooves and evolution model with bigger grooves.