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| Overview Examples of training grenades for the British Mills Bomb are much less common to find than high explosive versions. Training grenades can be classified as inert-filled dummies for throwing familiarization, drill grenades for functional instruction, or practice versions for field training. Of these grenades, the type most likely to be found would be be the No.36 Drill, identified by white paint and five 5mm (3/16") holes drilled through the body around the midsection. These were produced as complete assemblies (without active components), and some were sectioned to show the internals. Both were provided with a dummy fuze/detonator assembly. Used for technical training in the classroom. The one shown here has the gas-check disk, for use as a rifle grenade for the Enfield cup discharger. Less common is the No.36 Practice. It used a special "detonator" to produce smoke and report. Paint is white (cream) with a red band. The examples shown have a small hole located on the left "ear", under the hole for the pin, where a short string attaches the lever to the body to aid field recovery of the parts. Gases are vented through a cut modification to the centerpiece and exit the body through the hole for the fill plug (intentionally removed). Above right, body only, showing the single extra hole for the string. Traces of white paint remain. Finding documentation about that practice grenade has proved difficult. millsgrenades.co.uk identified it as post WWII "Belgium Practice Grenade used with smoke det set"., with no other information provided. Since this example is clearly not Belgian, my guess, the info came from a militaria auction which had an incorrect description and was re-posted using that?? I took the liberty of making a composite of those images, with a revised description, here.  *Any official documentation on this matter would be most appreciated! |
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| Markings Found on these examples: Sectioned Drill No.36 Safety lever is stamped "FW". Body, under the fill plug, has "FW" cast into it. (Partially cut away.) - Frost & Woods, Ontario Canada Zinc centerpiece dated "1944 3" and a partial logo of a stylized "S" Zinc baseplug dated "40" and marked "W Walsall Ltd" , England (?) Practice No.36 The body, under the fill plug, has "WML" cast into it. - Wilson & Mathiesons Ltd, Leeds England Zinc centerpiece dated "44" and stamped "SDR" - Strebor Die-Casting Co Ltd, Manchester (Radcliffe) England Zinc baseplug dated "8-41" and marked "R.B.D" - R.B. Davies & Co, Victoria Australia (How an Australian baseplug got matched up with a British grenade is anyone's guess. It appears to be vintage to the grenade.) Body-Only The grenade body shows traces of white paint with a red center band. It is marked with what appears to be "BBC" - British Bath Co, Greenford England. Other than a "Z" the centerpiece is unmarked. Visible in the above photo is the special cut modification to the centerpiece, removing the end of the detonator cavity. |
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| Birds of a Feather... (Circa 1944) |
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• U.S. Mk.II Practice • German Mod.24 Übungshandgranate "Exercise Hand Grenade" • British No.36 Practice All share the same functional purpose: A re-loadable practice grenade that operates the same as the actual service grenade and simulates the time-delayed explosion. |
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| 21.06.10 |
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