No. 36M Mk I Practice?

[moondoggy]

Is this a practice Mills Grenade? It has a two tone paint job (white and yellow). My guess is that it is a practice grenade but I can be wrong.

 

[pointblank0]

Hello there. This colour scheme has come up before and I still have no idea. Not sure of what date, but the majority of Brit Mills 36M MK1 drill grenades had 5 holes drilled through. The only country I can think of that had yellow and white on Mills bombs were Israel. The filler plug and base plug are not Israeli made though on your one.
I hope someone here has an answer.
Rob

 

[moondoggy]

Thanks pointblank0,
If it is Israeli, maybe they got some WWII surplus mills grenades and painted them in this manner. I was told that this color indicated it was for tropical use, but the red X's painted on a standard WWII British mills grenade would have indicated tropical use. I was assuming that this might be a practice grenade without the holes. The fill plug is painted over to perhaps help make it watertight in a tropical climate. I got this one because it was so unusual.

 

[dano1917]

The base of the body has the Isreali stretch to it, a tad more elongated than the British counterpart...Dano

 

[pointblank0]

The base of the body has the Isreali stretch to it, a tad more elongated than the British counterpart...Dano

Can you upload a pic of the inards please?

 

[millsbomber]

possibly south african ????

 

[moondoggy]

I'm thinking now that the yellow paint on the fill plug may have been done by a previous collector to try and match the paint on the body. I'm not sure why that was done. The inside looks the same as any other No 36M. It has all the same components also.

 

[paul the grenade]

what markings are on the base plug, lever, filling plug and body? if any.
Cheers, Paul.

 

[pointblank0]

Does the striker have a flat bottom or is it channeled?

 

[Millsman]

This grenade looks a bit like a WW1 Belgian practice grenade that has been fitted with a WW2 base plug. The colours are close to those of the Belgian WW1 practice grens. If it was Isreali it would have a filler screw fitted with a square hole for a 'allen' type key to undo.

The filler looks to have been over painted. If it is brass then the body may well be WW1.

John

 

[spotter]

millsman ,ref israeli mills if i remember correctly (please confirm) the filler and/or base plug are different sizes to the Uk mills and will not interchange

 

[Millsman]

That's correct Dave. The filler, baseplug and centrepiece and not interchangeable with the Mills 36.

Here's a photo of three grenades

1. 1918 dated 39 adapted by Belgium as a training grenade. Note yellow paint still just visible in grooves, and the leather bootlace used to retain the lever with the grenade. This grenade has the original 'paperclip' style pin.
2. Isreali 36 - Note the longer body.
3. 1940 36 by C/A - Standard.

John