What's new
British Ordnance Collectors Network

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

one rare EGG

dano1917

dano1917

RIP
This came in todays post from Germany. It is ever so slightly larger than a standard m1917 German egg grenade. Body is stamped "SIMM-Wurfkorper INERT". I have talked to other grenade collectors before I bought this and the gernral concensus is that this may be a British training egg used for practice on learning to use captured m1917 German egg grenades? One thing for sure it is DEFINATELY original and the only one i've ever seen. Appears to be a solid pour and is no doubt some sort of exercise egg grenade....Awesome.... Of course all comments, ideas etc......most welcome..........Dano
 

Attachments

  • simmei1[1].jpg
    simmei1[1].jpg
    76.6 KB · Views: 62
  • simmei2[1].jpg
    simmei2[1].jpg
    80.4 KB · Views: 65
  • simmei3[1].jpg
    simmei3[1].jpg
    75.8 KB · Views: 65
Last edited:
dear Dano

great find as always thanks for sharing with us !
my opinion i dont think thats an british training grenade for practising using german M1917 egg since the egg is marked with german letters it should be a german grenade not a british one this would make no sence that the british marking there practise eggs with german words !

Simm - Wurfkrper

thanks for sharing again

wbr David
 
When I tried to translate David. Well obviously SIMM would be english abbreviation for simulated? Wurf translates to throw but I cannot get translation for korper. And lastly INERT is obviously english. I wonder why German and English on same piece. Maybe you David or another of our German compadres can help in translation which looks to be a combination of German and English. One thing for sure, as I am an "egg-head" I absolutely love this piece and have never seen another anywhere close to this one. ALL ideas etc...most definately welcome and sought...Best...Dano
 
Nice gren Dano, well rare ime sure, a good find.

During WW1, Brit training grens were usually painted white, galvanised in some way or nickel plated and none to my knowledge[especially Mills] were marked as training grens or drill or dummy grens. Base plugs were so marked though.
The average Tommy would not speak German and so if the gren were marked it would be in English ime sure. However i reccon this is one we will never know the correct answer.
Probably as rare as hen's teeth.

Andy
 
Hi Dan.
Ive seen these before.
It should be painted white with speckles and you put it under a chicken to make it lay more eggs.:tinysmile_hmm_t: LOL
Sorry mate, i just couldn't help it.
Seriously though it is a very interesting item that ive not seen before. is there any traces of red paint on it anywhere?
cheers, paul.:tinysmile_twink_t:
 
Hi Andy and Paul, Thanks for nice comments. Paint is original and what's left of it is solid black. When I saw it I just had to have it as it does complement my egg collection. I think Andy is right in the respect that we may never know exact origin. It did cost a few shiny nickels but was worth it to me. It had been for sale for quite a while on a well known site so it surprises me that it did not go sooner. Now when I find another side body stamped "HEH" m1917 German WW1 egg then my eggs will be complete. I do know where one is but like trying to pry it away from current owner (used to be mine) is like pulling hens teeth. Again when I tried to translate 'Wurfkorper" it did not translate although "Wurf" alone translates to throw (German to English). More puzzling as I mentioned before it is slightly larger than your m1917 German egg but so close that difference is barely worth mentioning. It is very obvious to me that it is - 1)100% original 2) a solid pour 3)no provision for fuze of any kind and 4) quite heavy... More comments, questions, ideas etc........would be most welcomed (positive or negative).....Dano
 
Hi Dano,

Well done with the "egg",I was thinking about it being for training british troops on the use of the German "egg" grenade,what are the markings on a real egg grenade,do they come anywhere near the markings on the practice grenade,if a British soldier picked up a german egg grenade it would be marked in German,could the practice egg be marked in german so the british soldiers would be able to recognise it for what it was when he found the real thing,just a thought,,,,,,
Regards Don,
 
beihan62 said:
Well done with the "egg",I was thinking about it being for training british troops on the use of the German "egg" grenade,what are the markings on a real egg grenade,do they come anywhere near the markings on the practice grenade,if a British soldier picked up a german egg grenade it would be marked in German,could the practice egg be marked in german so the british soldiers would be able to recognise it for what it was when he found the real thing,just a thought,,,,,,
Regards Don,
Click to expand...
Hi Don, Interesting thought but I have never seen a German WW1 egg grenade with any other markings other than the manufacturers initials usually stamped on the base of the grenade. I have seen 2 eggs stamped on the side of the body, one "HEH", the other I think was Czech and stamped with manufacturer on side. I have never seen anything close to this one, and it does puzzle me that it is both English and German on the marking. I hope someone can make some sort of ID on this one but my hopes are thin...Dano
 
Dave83 said:
krper you can translate as Body !

wbr David
Click to expand...
Great David, Where that takes us is "simmulated throwing body inert" but I am very asea about why the combination of English and German?? It is no doubt a throwing dummy but who made it? One would think it to be German with the Wurfkorper on it but that's only speculation. I no doubt think it to be WW1. Hopefully soneone on one of the forums may be able to positive ID it? May never know..Dano
 
Last edited:
Dano,

From your photos the INERT Stamping appears to be in a different font and style then the other markings? Possibility that it was added separately or at a different time?

Stay safe,

Frank
 
Hi Frank, The SIMM and INERT are in the same upper case font on either end of Wurfkorper which is lower case except for the W. Ane the W is in the same font of the SIMM and INERT. It is quite more obvious when you are holding and looking directly at the font and of course I wish I could take better pictures. This one is a big enigma to me and hopefully can be explained at some point in time. In my opinion all of the lettering was all done at same time but no way to be sure...Dano
 
Last edited:
I think in this case it would be reasonable to translate wurfkorper as "throwing body" or in the English nomenclature "throwing dummy", SIMM might simply be the manufacturer. As to the INERT, that is a puzzle, but it seems to be used worldwide now and everyone seems to understand it. Not the case in WW1 though. I think its German, not British.

A thought is.. In a number of European countries, grenade throwing was actually taught at school as a sport. The Czechs certainly did as I have a couple of rubber throwing dummies that were sold through sports stores... I think I read someplace that the Germans did as well. i would have loved that in my school and perhaps done better in sports:smile:
 
Thanks sgtlynn, I guess that makes the most sense of anything to this point. To think that it is likely post WW1 does let a bit of starch out of my shorts though! I would obviously still like to see a picture of one of these in use to be sure. I guess for right now I will stay in my little world and go on believeing it is WW1 until proven otherwise. One thing I know that at least for right now it is unique in a way and I am going to keep it no matter what the outcome. I molled over this one for months before I decided to go ahead and buy it and in the end I don't think I got hurt pricewise. It sure do look nice displayed along with my egg sub-collection regardless. sgtlynn, the more I look over your idea, the more sense it makes and I sure do appreciate the input. I done wore my right index finger flat googling the crap out of this one and come up blanko.....Best.Dano
 
Last edited:
comparison shot

Pictured is the mystery egg flanked by m1917 and m1917 n/A German WW1 egg grenades for size comparison. Anybody have any idea(s) yet?...Dano
 

Attachments

  • Picture 664.jpg
    Picture 664.jpg
    44.7 KB · Views: 17
could it possibly be German, captured by British, then latter marked up as INERT ? I mean 50's or 60's ish so INERT font still has some age to it.
 
Hi Nismosonic, Thanks for the input. I am at the point where I will consider all possibilities. I bought it in the hopes that it was from WWI but think that possibility is a "pipe dream". Would probably trade it for something WWI. It looks good on shelf anyway. Thanks again......Dano
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top