Home Guard No 14 Smoke Generator

[BruceLee230]

Hi

There was a video called Home Guard Fighting Series, Weapons and Equipment 1943 on Youtube. Seems to have disappeared now.
It mentions what the Home Guard Battle Platoon was carrying in their pouches, some 36 Grenades and No 14 Smoke Generators.
Cannot find much on the net apart from 'No 14 Smoke Generator (Smoke Pot). This was a naval smoke generator which appears to be similar is size to the army No24 Smoke Generator' which at 18 inches high and 9 inches diameter cannot be the same.
There's also this on here https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30022948 described as 'Grenade, hand, No 14 Heavy Pitcher, practice.

Any help and photos would be appreciated as I'd like to make a dummy for a HG impersonation.

 

[millsbomber]

The No14 pitcher is a grenade the other is a No14 Smoke generator same number different thing

 

[Millsman]

I've got these but they are numbered B2. Much more likely to be in a Home Guard pouch. Dated 1943. Tear gas not smoke.

 

[TimG]

Have you a glare free image of the top label and the full markings of the "B2" Thanks

TimG

 

[peteblight]

I've got these but they are numbered B2. Much more likely to be in a Home Guard pouch. Dated 1943. Tear gas not smoke.
View attachment 196412View attachment 196413

These are the No 2 Mk III and IV toxic smoke generators. B2 is chloroacetophenone. Known then as CAP and now as CN.

 

[peteblight]

Hi

There was a video called Home Guard Fighting Series, Weapons and Equipment 1943 on Youtube. Seems to have disappeared now.
It mentions what the Home Guard Battle Platoon was carrying in their pouches, some 36 Grenades and No 14 Smoke Generators.
Cannot find much on the net apart from 'No 14 Smoke Generator (Smoke Pot). This was a naval smoke generator which appears to be similar is size to the army No24 Smoke Generator' which at 18 inches high and 9 inches diameter cannot be the same.
There's also this on here https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30022948 described as 'Grenade, hand, No 14 Heavy Pitcher, practice.

Any help and photos would be appreciated as I'd like to make a dummy for a HG impersonation.

I think it’s mentioned in MEOS Black book. I’m away from my references at the moment, but can check later.

 

[Millsman]

These are the No 2 Mk III and IV toxic smoke generators. B2 is chloroacetophenone. Known then as CAP and now as CN.

Sorry, my understanding was that these were tear gas, not smoke, toxic or not? Can you clarify?

 

[peteblight]

They produce an irritant smoke, so yes “tear gas”. Although the term “tear gas” is a bit of a misnomer, as rather than generating a gas, they produce a solid particle aerosol.

 

[peteblight]

They produce an irritant smoke, so yes “tear gas”. Although the term “tear gas” is a bit of a misnomer, as rather than generating a gas, they produce a solid particle aerosol.

Millsman, I've done some double checking on the No 2 generator and I stand corrected in that they didn’t produce smoke. In the case of these particular generators the CAP was absorbed onto kieselguhr and was known as CAPK.
At the base of the generator was a heater pellet which when ignited produced sufficient heat to vapourise the CAP from the kieselguhr which was then emitted as a lachrymatory cloud.

 

[peteblight]

Millsman, I've done some double checking on the No 2 generator and I stand corrected in that they didn’t produce smoke. In the case of these particular generators the CAP was absorbed onto kieselguhr and was known as CAPK.
At the base of the generator was a heater pellet which when ignited produced sufficient heat to vapourise the CAP from the kieselguhr which was then emitted as a lachrymatory cloud.

 

[Millsman]

Thanks very much, good information. Great to get to grips with the internals.

Not sure we are nearer to helping the OP though!

 

[peteblight]

Hi

There was a video called Home Guard Fighting Series, Weapons and Equipment 1943 on Youtube. Seems to have disappeared now.
It mentions what the Home Guard Battle Platoon was carrying in their pouches, some 36 Grenades and No 14 Smoke Generators.
Cannot find much on the net apart from 'No 14 Smoke Generator (Smoke Pot). This was a naval smoke generator which appears to be similar is size to the army No24 Smoke Generator' which at 18 inches high and 9 inches diameter cannot be the same.
There's also this on here https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30022948 described as 'Grenade, hand, No 14 Heavy Pitcher, practice.

Any help and photos would be appreciated as I'd like to make a dummy for a HG impersonation.

Finally had time to look up the No 14 smoke generator. Annoyingly whilst listed, there's very little information, but there is a grainy image!!.
So according to MEOS Black Book 1947, it was a small smoke generator designed to simulate the 2 inch mortar bomb. It was later fitted with an Allways fuze for use by landing parties in combined operations. (in hand writing next to this it says "Demand led to the No 79 grenade"). According to the entry, it was obsolete in 1945.

Gross weight - 1.5 lb
Filling - 1 lb SR.264B (HCE 45/ZnO 43/CaSi 12 Var.)
Smoke - White
Burn time of 2.25 minutes
Body colour - Light green

Whilst not a huge amount of information, I hope it's of some use.