Remember the days when if you had half a dozen good international ordnance contacts, you were doing well? It wasn’t that long ago and whilst competition (and prices) was a lot less, so was the variety. Then came the Internet and all the old rules changed. Now most of us have a large number of good like-minded friends all over the world that we can trade goodies and swap information with.
I think the history of a rather modest stick grenade I have illustrates really well how the Internet has changed what’s possible.
In the mid eighties I was living in London and purchased a pretty rough HE stick grenade from Regimentals. The stick was in average condition and stamped 43 EVY. The head had been heavily restored, but looked OK sporting a fragmentation sleeve. The porcelain ball cap was of WW1 vintage and there were no internals.
In the early days of EBay I picked up a BZ24 igniter in similar condition and stamped 43 EVY. I’ve since got what I’m told is a cold weather metal porcelain ball cap, found in WW2 trenches by a Finnish collector; actually these came via a fellow NZ collector, along with an inert detonator. Most recently I got a replacement head in similar condition from an on-line auction. It is stenciled with a K and a 1943 filling date, indicating cold climate use. It is also stamped 43 EVY. Now this will never be a mint example, but it’s starting to look quite cool. All that’s needed now is a replacement screw connector for the handle and the can in similar condition, a pull ball and cord and my 20+ year mission will be over.
Aren’t the internet great.
I think the history of a rather modest stick grenade I have illustrates really well how the Internet has changed what’s possible.
In the mid eighties I was living in London and purchased a pretty rough HE stick grenade from Regimentals. The stick was in average condition and stamped 43 EVY. The head had been heavily restored, but looked OK sporting a fragmentation sleeve. The porcelain ball cap was of WW1 vintage and there were no internals.
In the early days of EBay I picked up a BZ24 igniter in similar condition and stamped 43 EVY. I’ve since got what I’m told is a cold weather metal porcelain ball cap, found in WW2 trenches by a Finnish collector; actually these came via a fellow NZ collector, along with an inert detonator. Most recently I got a replacement head in similar condition from an on-line auction. It is stenciled with a K and a 1943 filling date, indicating cold climate use. It is also stamped 43 EVY. Now this will never be a mint example, but it’s starting to look quite cool. All that’s needed now is a replacement screw connector for the handle and the can in similar condition, a pull ball and cord and my 20+ year mission will be over.
Aren’t the internet great.
