US Mark I Grenade variants

[Eodtek]

All,

I'm just about finished with my research on the Mark I and I think I have compiled all the information that I can get my hands on for my article. Through all of this I have identified 4 variants of the Mark I and show them in the picture below.

On the left is an unthreaded body which I beleive would fall into the early "Dummy Grenade" catagory.

The second grenade is a standard Mark I with a lugless fuze. This would have used the No. 6 fulminate detonator. The grenade is painted black and the sealing screw would be painted gray.

The third grenade is a standard Mark I with a lugged fuze. This would have used the No. 6 fulminate detonator. The bottom of this grenade is sealed with an unthreaded plug that has been painted red. This appears to be a practice grenade that utilized the No. 6 fulminate detonator.

On the right is a Mark I body with a solid cast fuze that falls into the "Dummy Grenade" catagory.

My question is does anyone have any other variants or information contrary to what I show on these 4 grenades?

**Photo credits: The 2 grenades on the left, the 2 on the right come from the J. Geibel collection.

 

[Eodtek]

Well I'm judging by the silence that no one has anything else to go on so I'll finish writing and work towards peer review before publishing. That makes me happy

 

[dano1917]

Hi Eodtek, looks good to me. The two HE MKI bodies I have seen one has the thick "N" stamp on the body and the other has a letter in a diamond with a mold number. Also some bodies have the little base extention like you show and some do not and also the ones with early MKII fuze. Also the Thos E Wilson 4 row lug throwing dummy (see on Paul Spence web site). Looks like you are working on a very worthy project........Dano

 

[US-Subs]

Who's the article for?

 

[paul the grenade]

here it is!
cheers, paul.

 

[Eodtek]

The articles I am working on covering the Mark I, MK II series and probably verging into the rest of the standard US frag/practice series will be published in the IABTI Detonator and I will be looking for at least 1 Military history type magazine.

Also, I'm creating a series of tech sheets with basic data and x-rays of live and inert for the PSBT community to use.

 

[Eodtek]

Hi Eodtek, looks good to me. The two HE MKI bodies I have seen one has the thick "N" stamp on the body and the other has a letter in a diamond with a mold number. Also some bodies have the little base extention like you show and some do not and also the ones with early MKII fuze. Also the Thos E Wilson 4 row lug throwing dummy (see on Paul Spence web site). Looks like you are working on a very worthy project........Dano

Thanks Dano.

The grenades with the early MK II fuze (sometimes called the Cut back fuze) which depending on the time frame is either the Mark V or the M5 fuze will be covered in the next article which will be on the MK II series. Then I will do another covering the M21 and the novelty bodies that have popped up.

 

[inertordnance]

The third grenade is a standard Mark I with a lugged fuze. This would have used the No. 6 fulminate detonator. The bottom of this grenade is sealed with an unthreaded plug that has been painted red. This appears to be a practice grenade that utilized the No. 6 fulminate detonator.

My question is does anyone have any other variants or information contrary to what I show on these 4 grenades?

Eodtek

Enclosed are photos of a Mk1 that I have with Lugged Fuze and Threaded Base Plug. The plug is slotted on both ends and has red colored paint marking on the exterior end. I can take additional specific photos if needed.

Stay safe,

Frank

 

[Eodtek]

Nice grenade Paul. I've attached a slightly edited photo to remove the shadow from the photograph.

Mind if I add it into the ariticle and give you photo credit?

 

[Eodtek]

Thanks Frank. Does that grenade have any markings on the body? The photos you have are great and go towards confirming that there were 2 different "live practice" versions. One with a sealing screw and one without.

Mike

 

[inertordnance]

Thanks Frank. Does that grenade have any markings on the body? The photos you have are great and go towards confirming that there were 2 different "live practice" versions. One with a sealing screw and one without.

Mike

Yes, attached are photos with the fuze repositioned to show body markings ( 3 - F Enclosed In Diamond).

FWIW when I received this grenade, the fuze still had a Live Copper No. 6 Type / Size Detonator and WRA Primer. That was back in the days before digital cameras and I did not get a photo prior to Inerting'. The body was not loaded when received and does not show any signs of residue or ever being loaded.

 

[Eodtek]

Yes, attached are photos with the fuze repositioned to show body markings ( 3 - F Enclosed In Diamond).

FWIW when I received this grenade, the fuze still had a Live Copper No. 6 Type / Size Detonator and WRA Primer. That was back in the days before digital cameras and I did not get a photo prior to Inerting'. The body was not loaded when received and does not show any signs of residue or ever being loaded.

My guess is that the F enclosed in a Diamond is the mark of Stanley G. Flagg and Company but I'm trying to pin that down for sure.

Yes it's a shame that we came across a bunch of stuff in the old days before digital cameras. I would have way more reference info on things had digital cameras come our 10 yrs earlier.

 

[paul the grenade]

No problem, if you want any more pics from different angles let me know.
Paul.

Nice grenade Paul. I've attached a slightly edited photo to remove the shadow from the photograph.

Mind if I add it into the ariticle and give you photo credit?

 

[paul the grenade]

heres a few more pics that may be of help.
paul.

 

[inertordnance]

Yes it's a shame that we came across a bunch of stuff in the old days before digital cameras. I would have way more reference info on things had digital cameras come our 10 yrs earlier.

Yep, years ago I had a Mk1 with Black Colored Body, "No-Lug" Fuze and Threaded Base Plug. It still stands out in my memory that the base plug and some of the base "knob" were also painted a gold / bronze color and it appeared to be original. Have you observed anything that defines a gold base plug color coding? I had always believed that it may have been to indicate an "Empty /Dummy Loaded / Factory Inert" Type Grenade, however am just assuming that.