Here are two grenades that date from the Great War period.
The first is Grenade, Hand, No 12 Mark 1/L and is in exceptional condition. On the reverse is pasted an original or contemporary paper label indicating that it is a Square Box Grenade manufactured by Roburite and Ammonal Ltd, and the charge when filled, is of military ammonal. Apart from condition it is quite standard.
The other has been in my collection for over forty years, I bought it from an antique shop in Worcester and, by repute, it was originally in the collection of a former Mayor of Bootle (sic).
It is typically primitive, with a long handle and three pieces of segmented cast iron bound together with wire to provide a fragmentation effect. But is it British, or is it French, or is it another nationality? The style of manufacture and the cast iron pieces look to me to be typically the product of a Field Workshop, but this period of the War was one of significant improvisation on all fronts, and lacking evidence from the Mayor of Bootle himself, sadly long departed after shuffling off this mortal coil, the question is not clearcut.
Could our friends in France or Germany help, please?
I have consulted the Oracle (aka Norman), but we could reach no firm conclusion.
Alan1.![DSCN0978[1].JPG](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/178/178441-f17de4bc3bf8f56ef033c8e750300bb7.jpg "DSCN0978[1].JPG")
![DSCN0979[1].JPG](https://www.bocn.co.uk/data/attachments/178/178442-41397d7ddaccd7eff927c0c945e60986.jpg "DSCN0979[1].JPG")
The first is Grenade, Hand, No 12 Mark 1/L and is in exceptional condition. On the reverse is pasted an original or contemporary paper label indicating that it is a Square Box Grenade manufactured by Roburite and Ammonal Ltd, and the charge when filled, is of military ammonal. Apart from condition it is quite standard.
The other has been in my collection for over forty years, I bought it from an antique shop in Worcester and, by repute, it was originally in the collection of a former Mayor of Bootle (sic).
It is typically primitive, with a long handle and three pieces of segmented cast iron bound together with wire to provide a fragmentation effect. But is it British, or is it French, or is it another nationality? The style of manufacture and the cast iron pieces look to me to be typically the product of a Field Workshop, but this period of the War was one of significant improvisation on all fronts, and lacking evidence from the Mayor of Bootle himself, sadly long departed after shuffling off this mortal coil, the question is not clearcut.
Could our friends in France or Germany help, please?
I have consulted the Oracle (aka Norman), but we could reach no firm conclusion.
Alan1.