WW1 French rifle grenade Model 1914

[MINENAZ16]

Hello,
I have been looking for years documentation (original ww1) on french rifle grenade model 1914 (improvement of the well known spherical hand grenade Mle 14).
Year of service ? Operation ? Propellant cartridge type ?
I cut a fuze but I did not understand operation, no mechanical device, only a powder delay and primer. The rod is hallow, transmission of fire could be possible ?
Regards



http://www.inert-ord.net/rod02h/frenchball/index.html

 

[Millsman]

I've never understood how they worked either.

I had a conversation with a man at a French Militaria fair who suggested they were fake.

They don't appear in the Delhomme book, which may say something.

 

[MINENAZ16]

Not fake as I found this grenade several times on ww1 french battlefields.
My latest find, 7 grenades in the same place but only with remnant of rods (I assume, remnants of rusty steel coming out of the top fuze).
First time I thought to hand grenade with improved percussion fuze, but never found any remains of such a device.

 

[doctor]

I rather think that it is the original rough support and not a remain as supposed rod. I've also found this type of grenade (but never with complete supposed rod)
so i also think this système is fake.

 

[Yodamaster]

From a French book of an old French eod, it is the movement of the rod at the start of the stroke that pushes the striker and initiates the delay.


Yoda

 

[EnfieldMills]

This is my one. The rod is hollow so the blank would ignite the grenade. That's all I know about it.

 

[MINENAZ16]

I rather think that it is the original rough support and not a remain as supposed rod. I've also found this type of grenade (but never with complete supposed rod)
so i also think this système is fake.

Hi,
Yes there is no real proof of this rod (no documentaton and we never found this grenade with complete rod).
It remains a mystery especially as other collectors present the fuze with a pull or a push system !!!
Who is right ?

 

[Millsman]

Do you think the fact that these have been found in the field but are not documented means they could have only been in official trials, but not approved for production?

 

[MINENAZ16]

Do you think the fact that these have been found in the field but are not documented means they could have only been in official trials, but not approved for production?

Could be a possibility (an improvised wartime trial)
Delhomme mentioned only a use of a new percussion fuze (no detail) for this hand grenade (to use important stocks of this obsolete grenade).