Product Details
This auction is for one inert MK1 US Army Hand Grenade from World War 1.
The grenades in use during WW1 were mostly
Model 5. They were still in use in the mid 1960's. Each one had to
be assembled by the user, unlike today's grenades that come ready to
use . Each battalion had a "Bombing Platoon" that specialised in
explosives, mostly Mills Bombs and Gun Cotton.
Grenades (small bombs thrown by hand) were
first used in the 16th century. In the opening months of the First
World War the British Army used Grenade No 1. This was a cast-iron
canister on an 18 inch stick. Soldiers soon discovered that they
were dangerous to use when in a front-line trench. There were
several cases of soldiers being killed when the grenade hit the
front of the trench.
In 1915, a grenade developed by William Mills,
a Birmingham engineer, began to be used by British troops. The bomb
had a central spring-loaded firing-pin and spring-loaded lever
locked by a pin. Originally it had a 7 second fuse which required
that the bomber held the bomb for 3 seconds after ignition otherwise
the enemy could throw it back before it exploded. In the newer
models once the Mills Bomb was in the air, the lever flew up and
released the striker, which ignited a four-second time fuse,
allowing the thrower to take cover before it exploded. When the
grenade went off the cast-iron casing shattered producing a shower
of metal fragments.
The grenade developed by Mills soon became
very popular with British soldiers and remained in short supply
until the end of 1916. By the time the Armistice was signed, more
than 33 million Mills Bombs had been issued to soldiers in the
British Army.
This item was displayed in the Museum of
World Wars as the first American Hand Grenade. Please contact
us if you have any additional information on this rare
artifact.
The following components are included in
this auction:
● Grenade
as seen in photo (3.5 inches tall, 2.5 inches wide, 7 inch
circumference at its widest point.
This grenade is hollowed out and poses no
threat of personal injury yet still shows as a beautiful piece from
a historic museum.
This item will be carefully packaged for safe
shipment.
The photos are of the actual item and all the
components for sale.
The Shipping weight of this item is 2
pounds.
Payment Policy:
Payment is expected within 7 days of auction close. We prefer
Paypal, but also accept Money Orders, Cashiers checks, and Personal
Checks. California residents must pay 7.75 % Sales Tax.
Domestic Shipping Policy:
We ship items within 24 hours of receiving confirmed payment! The
buyer pays one shipping charge which covers postage, packaging,
handling, delivery confirmation, and tracking. Our shipping
practices provide for a fast and risk-free transaction. Items under
1 pound typically ship by USPS Priority mail, while heavier items
typically ship by UPS Ground.
International Shipping Policy:
You can calculate the
international shipping charge from US zip code 92653 and with
the weight indicated below (Add $5 International handling charge
because we have to fill out customs forms and wait in line at the
post office). To avoid fraud, we do not ship Internationally until
payment has been received and confirmed. Because tracking and
insurance are not available there is no guarantee for International
purchases. |
