Grenades

The grenade existed in a seemingly endless variety of forms during World War Two.  Anti tank, anti personnel, smoke, phosphorous, hand thrown and rifle launched all featured.

The classic hand grenade is the best known of these many weapons.  The principle is almost as simple as sticking a blade on a rifle, but the technology required is slightly more complex.  The basic grenade consists of a metal casing containing an explosive charge.  This is detonated by a time delayed fuse activated when the safety device is disengaged.  This gives the operator approximately four seconds before detonation, in which time he has to break cover, throw the thing and, perhaps most importantly, get back into cover before the ensuing explosion.  Because of the uncontrolled nature of the explosion, fragments of the casing are just as likely to reach his position as they are the target.

This unfortunate side effect lead to the development of 'offensive' grenades, in which the segmented metal casing designed to produce shrapnel was eliminated.  Instead, the concussion effect of the explosion, which would disorientate the victim at least for a few seconds became itself a weapon.  It dictated that a swift follow up with rifle and sub machine gun be made though, as the advantage would only be fleeting.

Both weapons suffered from the same limitation, in that their range was restricted to the arm strength of the individual thrower.  The rifle grenade was an attempt to lengthen the reach of even the most challenged bowler or pitcher.  It required an adapter which was fitted over the muzzle of a normal service rifle.  The British used a standard hand grenade placed in a cup discharger, while the US Mk II could be launched from the M1 or M1A1 adapter fitted to either a rifle or carbine.  Other German and American designs had their own tail pipe which was slid over a muzzle adapter.  A standard round of ball ammunition could not be used, so a special propellant round was substituted.  This was loaded directly into the chamber of the rifle, perfectly simple with any of the Bolt Action Rifles in use.

The grenade in all its forms saw its greatest use during the war and remains every bit as important as the rifle and bayonet to the modern soldier.  The sheer scale of the fighting in streets and cities guaranteed the grenade would become the standard 'calling card' before entering a known or simply suspected enemy building.  Yet it was a double edged weapon.  Many ill trained or unthinking men fell victim to the blast of their own grenade, following up before it had gone off.  Casualties also racked up during the supposedly simple operation of inserting the detonators, a task only undertaken prior to action where circumstances permitted.  Experienced men took to securing the often exposed safety lever with tape to prevent accidental removal, which they occasionally neglected to remove in the heat of combat.

Anti tank grenades proved of notably little use against the later war tanks, but were more effective against fortifications and emplacements.  As will be seen below, the Germans produced an enormous variety of these types.  Both the Germans and Russians developed hand grenades which were intended to be thrown against enemy tanks, but the target involved had to be practically on top of the soldier to be of use.  The British equivalent was usually laid as a mine, a far more sensible approach, especially as causing  a tank to shed a track would disable it quite effectively. 

Due to the bewildering array of types used, this is just a summary of what was on offer to the major combatant armies.  As noted above, the explosive types were supplemented by smoke bombs used to provide cover and signal types with coloured smoke.  Phosphorous grenades, another particularly nasty little item, were also used.  These types all weighed roughly the same as a normal fragmentation model.

Hand Grenades

That's why the Sergeant told me to duck!  A before and after shot of the Mills Bomb, giving an indication of the shrapnel produced.  Fragments have been known to reach some 200 m from the point of impact

Hand Anti Tank Grenades

German Paratrooper well armed for close tank assault - an MP40, pistol and a 3.5 kg 'hollow charge' magnetic anti tank mine

Rifle Grenades (all impact fuse)

* ranges all approximate

German soldier displaying the typical arrangement for a rifle grenade

Anti Tank Rifle Grenades (all impact fuse)

* ranges all approximate

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Infantry Weapons of World War Two

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