Questions on a WW I French F-1 Grenade

[Pea Shooter]

I recently picked up a 1915 French F-1 grenade. Was it a defensive as opposed to offensive grenade? Also was it a percussion activated fuse? On the bottom of the fuse is a wick type material coming out of the tube. Did the fuse activate a burn to the wick after it was struck? Can someone explain to me the operation of the fuse? Thank you, Vaughnoh:

 

[Yodamaster]

A defensive grenade is made to provide a maximum of big fragmentation. The grenade is thrown in a defensive goal. The thrower is behind a protection. This kind of grenade have a heavy wall to provide a max of fragments.
An offensive grenade is made to provide "only" a blast effect without great fragmentation. This model of grenade is used during an assault where the thrower is not behind a protection. This kind of grenade have a little thickness of wall.

Very simply explained.

Percussion fuze is very simple : the thrower must hit the fuze before throwing, so he'll initiate a sort of safety fuze (approx 4 to 8 s burning) wich shall initiate the detonator of the grenade.



Yoda