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New Mills 23 Mk 1 Plug
- Thread starter Millsman
- Start date
. . Ive a gibbons plug for no23 mk1 with same date .Darrol.John, first supply is certainly documented, from which first operational use is implied. TW Supplies Dept weekly report for week ending 1 July 1916: "Of the preliminary order for 200,000 special base plugs and rods, 25,000 were despatched to France, and it is expected that about 40,000 will be despatched next week."
Deliveries continued slowly but steadily throughout July; allowing for training with the new store and delivery to the lines of communication, it is likely that the No.23 first saw action from the middle of the month. At that time things were of course a little sticky on the Somme front, so there was probably some urgency in seeing it introduced.
Tom.
Deliveries continued slowly but steadily throughout July; allowing for training with the new store and delivery to the lines of communication, it is likely that the No.23 first saw action from the middle of the month. At that time things were of course a little sticky on the Somme front, so there was probably some urgency in seeing it introduced.
Tom.
I've read extensively about the Somme 1 July campaign and I've yet to see the words "The new Mills 23 arrived" anywhere. Evidence from the fields indicates the majority of baseplugs are dated 8/16 onwards and I've also not seen any training references either from the late summer of 1916. It's an odd gap in the July - November 1916 battle records. I would have expected comments about the new grenade being better than the old rifle grenades. Odd and unexplained.
My personal view is that if the No. 23 had been available for 1/7/16 it would have made a difference. Imagine if pits had been dug 90 yards from the German front line trenches and bombers had been able to destroy the Maxims as they emerged from their bunkers. History would have been different.
John
My personal view is that if the No. 23 had been available for 1/7/16 it would have made a difference. Imagine if pits had been dug 90 yards from the German front line trenches and bombers had been able to destroy the Maxims as they emerged from their bunkers. History would have been different.
John