SRCM Hand Grenade Model 1935 / 1938

History

Three main series of grenades were used by the Italian army during WWII, all under the designation "Type 1935" - manufactured by SRCM, OTO and Breda. Each has been further developed into three different forms, including live high-explosive (HE), live small-charge, and inert variants for training.

The HE-branded body is painted with an all-red finish, while the smaller charging versions feature a red band to differentiate them. Training grenades are completely black. There are also smoked versions of all three types of grenades.

The red-coated high-explosive rounds were called "Red Devils" by the British Army.

In 1935, the Italian Army adopted the Societa Romana Construczioni Meccaniche (SRCM) Bomba a Mano ("Hand Bomb") Type 1935 Fragmentation Grenade as a standard rationing infantryman. This guy weighs 200 grams, has 40 grams of padding inside, and has an overall length of 79mm. The diameter of each grenade is 63.5 mm.

The Model 1935 is built around a metal casing that wraps an internal aluminum cylinder, the casing is fabricated in two halves and bolted together at a seam. Inside, the 1935 model wears typical TNT padding. A hard hat was placed on the grenade, also covering part of the side. In action, infantrymen pull on rubber straps and drop grenades at the desired target area.

In flight, a safety latch fell from the grenade body, removing a safety lever and releasing an internal breech designed to detect "throwing" shocks from accidental falls. On impact, the firing pin fires at the fuze, causing the necessary explosion, projecting metal fragments within a blast radius of approximately 12 meters.

This shell has proven useful for engaging embedded enemy infantry, especially those in fortifications such as bunkers or houses/buildings, or those elements taking cover in foxholes or machine gun dens . The SRCM became the more reliable of the three Italian grenades used in warfare, although it was more complex to use and manufacture and had an inherently smaller blast radius. It proved sufficient for use by the German army and was named "Handgranate 328 (i)" (the "i" stands for its Italian origin).

An improved version of the Italian Type 35 was realized in 1938 as the "Type 1938".

The Type 1935 SRCM served with Italian troops throughout the North African campaign, mainly against British and Commonwealth elements. Production of the font continued until the surrender of Italy in September 1943 and the end of the war in May 1945.

Production then continued for Italy in the postwar years.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes