Mk II (Mills Grenade / Mills Bomb)

History of the Mk II (Mill Grenade / Mill Bomb)

Design work began for the British Army in early 1915 as the post-1914 World War spread across Europe. Hand grenades proved worthwhile on the bloody battlefields of World War I, where trench warfare hindered any progress. The grenade allows a single operator to use firepower to drive away an entrenched enemy by detonating explosives and throwing them in the enemy's direction.

The resulting explosion and subsequent splash of shards of steel can kill, maim or shock an opponent in one way or another, bringing it to its knees. However, all parties are interested in the use of grenades, which are as common on these battlefields as machine guns or rifles themselves. In May 1915, the Mk I 5 became the standard grenade shortly after passing the evaluation. During World War I, British troops were harassed by British enemies.

Sir William Mills (1856-1932, knighted). 1922) is credited for developing the Mk I grenade, which he named the "Mills Bomb".

Externally, the Mills Bomb takes on the classic "pineapple" grenade look, available for the built-in handle. It has an elongated shape with a tapered end and a spherical cylinder. The safety pin is attached to the top and removed by a traditional metal ring, and the hand scale fits snugly on the body of the grenade.

The grenade is first activated by removing the safety pin while holding the hammer firmly in place. The grenade can then be thrown at the enemy position, and the hammer is thrown from the grenade body to the enemy position in flight to activate the internal time delay fuze. The Mills bomb weighed 765 grams and stood over 3 inches tall. Its explosive composition is a baratol filler consisting of TNT, barium nitrate and wax. Detonation is handled by a time-delay fuze, ranging from 7 seconds in the original model to 4 seconds in the final production form.

The orientation of the fragments is random and may affect the position of the launcher itself (reported to have a blast radius of 35 meters), so it needs to be used with extreme care. Interestingly, the grenade and fuze were issued separately and assembly had to be done before the battle.

Specification

BASICS

Years in Service

1915

Origins

UK

Categories

Infantry grenade

Manufacturer

Mills Munition Factory, Birmingham - UK

Carrier

Australia; Canada; India; Ireland; Pakistan; United Kingdom

Roles

Fire Support

Ability to suppress enemy elements at a distance using direct or indirect fire.

Dimensions and Weight

Overall Length

95mm

3.74 inches

Barrel length

95mm

3.74 inches

Cured weight

1. 69 lbs

0.77 kg

Attractions

Not applicable

Action

Manual operation; throw

Cartridges and Paper Feeds

Caliber*

Not applicable

Circle/Feed

Single use

POWER

Maximum efficiency. Arrived

115 feet

(35m | 38m)

Rate of fire

1

Number of revolutions

VARIANTS

Mk 1 - Base series name "Mills Bomb" - series name number. #5 - The first service model appeared in 1915. No. 23 - Bottom plug for firing the muzzle of a rifle. No. 36 - Removable base plate for rifle muzzle firing (with rifle discharge cup). No. 36M - Final production; covered with shellac to seal.