Officer's Training Manual

Handgrenades

Lecture by Col. Hawkins

Handgrenades are charged with high explosives such as TNT, Ammonal or gun cotton. Grenades are fired by a fuse which explodes a detonator containing fulminate of mercury or silver (mercury usually) which in its turn explodes the charge. Detonators are very dangerous and require very careful handling. Guncotton unless confined does not detonate.Grenades weigh from 1-2 lbs and their effect depends upon the type -
i. purely explosive
ii. those which contain missiles such as glass, nails, bits of metal called LANGRIDGE.

Types of Grenade
A. Fixed on end of metal rod and fires from rifle. Percussion bomb.
B. Hand Grenade No 1. Hand thrown. Made to fall on head by tape streamers. Hale Stick Grenade.
C. No 5 Handgrenade. Automatric fuse 6 seconds. Mills Grenade.
D. No 6-7 Hand. Fuse lit by removing safety pin. 6 seconds. 1 & 2 lbs weight.

Light contains explosive only.
Heavy contains Langridge.

2lbs thrown 30 yds. Effective area 30 yds.
1lb thrown 50 yds. Effective area 6yds.

Extemporised Grenades

Trench Warfare
Small sandbags to represent bombs. Practice throwing straight into and out of trench or from trench to trench.

Notes from Front No4 pp19-23.

GGG - Grenadiers
BBB - Bayonet Men

Shaded portion of trench occupied by enemy. Storming Party consists of Grenadiers, carrying men, bayonet men, sandbag men.

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© A.D. Hesketh. Copyright notes. The original notebook has been donated to the museum of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, The Castle, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 2AY. Before this was done the notebook was loaned to me, and I am grateful to Catherine Crossley, a relative of 2nd Lt. Roberts for permission to copy it.. Consequently the material and images in this section should not be reproduced without the written consent of myself or the RWF museum.


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Officer's Training Manual Handgrenades Lecture by Col. Hawkins Handgrenades are charged with high explosives such as TNT, Ammonal or gun cotton. Grenades are fired by a fuse which explodes a detonator containing fulminate of mercury or silver (mercury usually) which in its turn explodes the charge. Detonators are very dangerous and require very careful handling. Guncotton unless confined does not detonate.Grenades weigh from 1-2 lbs and their effect depends upon the type - i. purely explosive ii. those which contain missiles such as glass, nails, bits of metal called LANGRIDGE. Types of Grenade A. Fixed on end of metal rod and fires from rifle. Percussion bomb. B. Hand Grenade No 1. Hand thrown. Made to fall on head by tape streamers. Hale Stick Grenade. C. No 5 Handgrenade. Automatric fuse 6 seconds. Mills Grenade. D. No 6-7 Hand. Fuse lit by removing safety pin. 6 seconds. 1 & 2 lbs weight. Light contains explosive only. Heavy contains Langridge. 2lbs thrown 30 yds. Effective area 30 yds. 1lb thrown 50 yds. Effective area 6yds. Extemporised Grenades Trench Warfare Small sandbags to represent bombs. Practice throwing straight into and out of trench or from trench to trench. Notes from Front No4 pp19-23. GGG - Grenadiers BBB - Bayonet Men Shaded portion of trench occupied by enemy. Storming Party consists of Grenadiers, carrying men, bayonet men, sandbag men. Return to Manual © A.D. Hesketh. Copyright notes. The original notebook has been donated to the museum of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, The Castle, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 2AY. Before this was done the notebook was loaned to me, and I am grateful to Catherine Crossley, a relative of 2nd Lt. Roberts for permission to copy it.. Consequently the material and images in this section should not be reproduced without the written consent of myself or the RWF museum.