WW1 Mills Grenades - The different Sections

[Millsman]

The only official Sectioned Mills Grenades in the Great War were by three firms Brooks & Doxey, E A Radnall and AN Other (not known). These were the boxed examples. However many were cut by armourers in response to requests from Officers and NCO's doing training. I've not come across an official maker of Sectioned 23 MkIII or the 36 (yet).

Here my collection showing the different types. Please feel free to add your own versions or information.



In order L to R. M&P 36. Davis Gas Stoves 23 Mk III, Centrecast No 5. Brooks & Doxey boxed No 5. Plated No 36 by Kenrick. Full side cut displayed on 'Inkwell base' Possibly E A Radnall.

Hope this is of interest.

John

 

[Snufkin]

Here is a 1917 Brooks & Doxey No.23 MkIII in section, courtesy Australian War Memorial, Canberra. There was no box with it, or at least I didn't see one.




Tom.

 

[Millsman]

Many thanks Tom. Excellent.

John

 

[millsbomber]

Another thread


http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/82330-Mills-Grenade-in-Section?highlight=mills+section+box

 

[Millsman]

Seeing Dave's and Tom's photo I'm coming to the conclusion that the grenade I have on the stand must be the Brooks & Doxey and the one in the box the EA Radnall.

John

 

[Eggy]

am I correct in thinking that this no 23 was made by the same maker??

 

[millsbomber]

Is that marking D&M B I cannot quite make it out

 

[Eggy]

base plug markings

its actually i think the same as the Brooks & Doxey No.23 MkIII
as in the one that tom posted
ive looked at the picture of the plug again and
the obscure mark you couldnt make out i believe to be a broad arrow,
ive included a photo of several plugs that also bear the broad arrow mark.

 

[Millsman]

Hi Peter

I agree with Dave. It does look like D&M B so it may be a rare plug. However I recently bought a plug off the internet thinking the date was 6/20. When I got it it was 9/18 DOH!

The photo you put up is an old one of mine. They are fake plugs made in France so the broad arrows are not strictly accurate.

John

 

[millsbomber]

I don't recall seeing another plug like the No23 Mk3 markings please if you can confirm the marking would be great if it's yours

 

[Eggy]

hi dave?
Is that the same as Brooks & Doxey
I think sometimes you have to put your trust in a seller you buy from on a regular basis,
ive put in another image of the grenade, this one has the correct inert detonator in it,
I have seen them for sale with an inert detonator in them for a number 36 mills bomb ??,
the grenade is mine , it would be nice if it is a rare one,
but its a nice one all the same, from what I can see all the parts have been together for a long time

 

[Eggy]

nice photo didn't realise it was yours its on the net it didn't say where it came from
I posted a reply on the markings

 

[Millsman]

hi dave?
Is that the same as Brooks & Doxey
I think sometimes you have to put your trust in a seller you buy from on a regular basis,
ive put in another image of the grenade, this one has the correct inert detonator in it,
I have seen them for sale with an inert detonator in them for a number 36 mills bomb ??,
the grenade is mine , it would be nice if it is a rare one,
but its a nice one all the same, from what I can see all the parts have been together for a long time

Is there any sign of a maker's mark on the front of the grenade, even if bi-sected? Looks like a nice one.

John

 

[Eggy]

hello
I don't have it to hand at the moment I wont be able to get at it till at least Tuesday, ill pop on a better photo then,
yes thanks I like it to,
my late father 2/7/2015 once gave me a good bit of advice, ,
that was: always buy the best you can afford, this I try to adhere to,
ive seen some really manky rusty relics , that they charge mega bucks for, I never buy tatt , even if I have to wait a bit or pay a bit extra,
for a good example of the item I want,
its taken me ages to get what I hae and to build up a group of , dealers I A) trust and B) who don't try to shaft me on prices,
ever since I first held a number 36 back in the 70s ive loved the mills bomb shape,
whats you favourite ??

 

[siegfreid]

Radnall & B&D in their original boxes . All the B&D ones I've seen are 23/2's but that's not to say there might have been other marks as well .

 

[paul the grenade]

heres my one

 

[Millsman]

hello
I don't have it to hand at the moment I wont be able to get at it till at least Tuesday, ill pop on a better photo then,
yes thanks I like it to,
my late father 2/7/2015 once gave me a good bit of advice, ,
that was: always buy the best you can afford, this I try to adhere to,
ive seen some really manky rusty relics , that they charge mega bucks for, I never buy tatt , even if I have to wait a bit or pay a bit extra,
for a good example of the item I want,
its taken me ages to get what I hae and to build up a group of , dealers I A) trust and B) who don't try to shaft me on prices,
ever since I first held a number 36 back in the 70s ive loved the mills bomb shape,
whats you favourite ??

Your father was 100% right.

I think my favourite is the Mills No 5 Centrecast and I'm very happy to have a cutaway version. Probably followed by the Roland Grenade.

John

 

[Eggy]

Not familiar with the Roland grenade ?

 

[Millsman]

Not familiar with the Roland grenade ?

It was a self igniting ball grenade invented by Capt Leon Roland of the Belgian Army. In 1914 the Belgians lost their manufacturing facilities to the Germans and the grenade was brought to England for production. The War Office asked William Mills to make it. He found lots of faults with it and his development work became the Mills No 5 Mk I. The rest is as they say 'history'.

John