Originally patented by golf club designer William Mills in 1915, the Mills Bomb was adopted by the British army as its standard hand grenade later that year. The bomb had a central spring-loaded firing pin and spring-loaded lever locked by a pin. Once the Mills Bomb was in the air, the lever flew up and released the striker, which ignited a 4-second fuse. This delay allowed the thrower to take cover before the grenade exploded. The explosion shattered the cast-iron casing which produced a shower of metal fragments.
Russian Hand Grenade Model 1914
The Russian Hand Grenade Model 1914 was a stick grenade consisting of a sheet metal cylinder, filled with explosive and a sheet metal fragmentation jacket drilled with holes, attached to a wooden handle. To operate this grenade, the soldier grasped the wooden handle which depressed the the priming handle. The grenade was then armed by turning a safety catch away from the front of the hammer at the end of the priming handle.
When the handle was released, the hammer would strike the fuse, igniting a small quantity of black powder in a copper tube. The resulting smoke would escape through small holes in the tube. After a 5-second delay, the fire reached the primer set at the other end, detonating the grenade.
Model 24 Stielhandgranate (Stick Hand Grenade)
The Model 24 Stielhandgranate (stick hand grenade) was the standard hand grenade of the German Army. Introduced in 1915, the design was improved throughout the war. With its distinctive appearance, it became known as a ‘stick grenade,’ or ‘Potato Masher’ in British Army slang. It is today one of the most easily recognised hand grenades of the twentieth century.
A pull cord ran down the hollow handle from the detonator within the explosive head, terminating in a porcelain ball which was held in place by a detachable base-closing cap. To use the grenade, the base cap was unscrewed, permitting the ball and cord to fall out. Pulling down on the cord would ignite a 5-second fuse.
British Grenade: The Mark I
The first British grenade, the Mark I, was introduced to the field in 1914. This model was detonated on impact rather than via a timed fuse. It consisted of a can of explosive material with an iron fragmentation band. Removing a safety pin through the top ignited the fuse. A long cane handle (approx. 16 inches) allowed the user to throw the grenade further than the blast of the explosion. To ensure that the grenade hit the ground nose first, the handle featured a cloth streamer which unfurled and acted as a stabiliser in flight.
