hand grenades

[FramFramson]

Looks like those early ones copied the Italian model.

[Beast of Bukhara]

Dear Ignatieff

The Ottomans traditionally used grenades which were an important part of the Ottoman Army’s concept of war and it appears that these were employed by a specific soldiers likely to be the Pioneers/Engineering companies that existed as a separate branch under the pre-war establishment.
I paraphrase Mr Chris Flaherty (page 42) in his most excellent book which is available from Dave Ryan Esq publisher and purveyor of Ottoman toy soldiers.
Please do be on strict notice that the ever astute Mr M Hargreaves is once again quite correct in his prediction of your forth coming predicament.
And so for the avoidance of any doubt ...yes..duck

YS Beast

That all important title again:
 Chris Flaherty (2014) The Ottoman Imperial Army in the First World War: A Handbook of Uniforms (PARTIZAN HISTORICAL 16). Partizan Press.

[Ignatieff]

What, hurled from The Grand Mufti's 'Super Soldier' programme......'ere we go again! 

[cuprum]

Russian hand grenades.

The main type of hand grenade in Russia was a grenade designer Rdultovsky (RG-12). Put into service in 1912. The first samples were square-warhead:



http://calibr.ucoz.ru/publ/granaty/rossija/granata_rdultovskogo_obrazca_1912_goda_rg_12/176-1-0-1230

Two years later was adopted by a new modification of the grenades of the same designer. She received the designation RG-14, because of its shape often called "bottle bombs".



https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A0%D0%93-14

The grenade was a very successful design and was used by the Russian army until 1942.


In 1915 was adopted by the F-1 grenade (a copy of the French grenades), but with a igniter of Russian design.



By the summer of 1916, production of grenades was 3.5 million pieces per month.

[Ignatieff]

Cuprum

outstanding info as always, many thanks.

Were these grenades widely distrubuted in 1914?  Or was it later that everyone got them?

thanks

Steve

[cuprum]

Hand grenades were considered in 1914 as a defensive weapon, therefore consisted only armed garrison of the fortress. Since the beginning of the war their stocks were quickly exhausted. Therefore, the first two years (1914, 1915) garnet very lacked - have been widely used in various surrogates (though grenade mod. 1912 was originally designed with the expectation of manufacturing in the field by the soldiers themselves).
Since 1916 the amount of grenades in the army has increased dramatically, including the expense of supplies from the Allies. Russian enterprises were produced 15.5 million. Grenades and from the allies were received not less than 19 million Grenades.
Hand grenades were widely used during the Civil War.

[Ignatieff]

Thanks Cuprum, and everyone else.

I had always made an assumption that all armies had them from the off, but a chance questions from my son about this made we wonder.  The LAF is a wonderful forum, thank you all gents!

[moiterei_1984]

Found some more information regarding the topic:
www.passioncompassion1418.com/decouvertes/english_grenades_all.html