Help needed with Grenade Identification

John Josef

John Josef

Well-known member
Hello guys and gals,

Not sure if we have anyone here who also collects Grenades but its worth a shot. I'm currently helping a friend Identify a collection of ordnance he recently acquired and I'm having a bit of trouble with these. Most of my knowledge and collection revolves around Germany with a few Austrian items.

There was quite a bit of WWI and WWII German items in the collection that were easily identified but I'm a bit unsure on these.

So if anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated.

I first thought they may be German model 1914 clockwork ball Grenades that were missing pieces, but I also thought they may be WWI Turkish cricket ball grenades that were missing the top fuse. :unsure:

They could also be Allied grenades or a multitude of other grenades that I'm not very familiar with. I certainly don't consider myself an expert by a long shot.

Again your thoughts and any help would be greatly appreciated. 🙏
Thanks in advance John Josef

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Sadly in the past few months a fantastic Grenade ID reference website has been lost. The owner choose not to renew it.

I used it countless times over at least a 10 year period of time. It looks like the owner of the website was from the Netherlands? with the "nl" portion of the web address.

This was the link to the German ID home page, which is now inoperable: http://www.lexpev.nl/grenades/europe/germany/
 
I was looking a bit further on a websit I visit a lot, it could also be a French Ball grenade Modele 1914.

Passion and Compassion 1914-1918 : A rich bibliography and a wide technical documentation to help you better decode your visits to the former World War One battlefields

Commented collection of books of witnesses, history, guides, novels, of quotations, photographs and militaria for the 1914-1918 period. This website has been written by a belgian amateur, enthusiast with World War One
passioncompassion1418.com
Visit the page about grenades, and select French grenades.
This site also has other nice articles to read by the way.
 
coert65 said:
I was looking a bit further on a websit I visit a lot, it could also be a French Ball grenade Modele 1914.

Passion and Compassion 1914-1918 : A rich bibliography and a wide technical documentation to help you better decode your visits to the former World War One battlefields

Commented collection of books of witnesses, history, guides, novels, of quotations, photographs and militaria for the 1914-1918 period. This website has been written by a belgian amateur, enthusiast with World War One
passioncompassion1418.com
Visit the page about grenades, and select French grenades.
This site also has other nice articles to read by the way.
Click to expand...


Thanks I really appreciate your help.I was looking at French Grenades but the top is different, it only has one hole. These if you look closely have three holes with a little nib as well. Which is what made me to believe they could be German model 1914 clockwork ball Grenades without the mechanical part.

I'm still looking to identify these so any continued help would really be great. I've also been thinking maybe they could be WWI Russian but I don't collect Russian items so my knowledge is very small on the subject but was able to find this info.

These also seem to have the same configuration with the three holes and a nib with the bigger hole in the center where the fuse would be.

Thanks again John Josef

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Thanks Mike, I really appreciate any input. Do you have a view from the top ? Does it have the three hole configuration plus the nib like the ones pictured ?

Looks very similar to the Russian design. Or does the Russian design look like the British one :unsure:

I was told these came from the early battles in the east. Which is just a story and like everyone else here I don't buy or put to much stock in stories. I go by the item and what it says.
 
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Sorry, I don't have a top view picture but I know from handling examples of the No.15 that there were the 3 holes, the outer ones to take a tool to screw the top plug in.
 
Mike_H said:
Sorry, I don't have a top view picture but I know from handling examples of the No.15 that there were the 3 holes, the outer ones to take a tool to screw the top plug in.
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Thanks I appreciate it,

The only things I have that are British are two tunics from WWI. My knowledge on the M15 British hand grenade is very small. I do know they didn't use it very long and they are super rare to find. (y)
 
It was indeed used only a short period of time because it was unreliable. More often than not they wouldn't explode.
All of these are split in two I see. Would that have been some weird way of making them harmless or did they explode like that?

I have a no.15 and no.16 laying around somewhere. Got them in a trade but don't really fit in the collection unfortunately.
 
Grabenmaxx said:
It was indeed used only a short period of time because it was unreliable. More often than not they wouldn't explode.
All of these are split in two I see. Would that have been some weird way of making them harmless or did they explode like that?

I have a no.15 and no.16 laying around somewhere. Got them in a trade but don't really fit in the collection unfortunately.
Click to expand...

I think these were made to be deactivated war trophies (DEWAT). They came in a large collection and these are the only ones I've had to think about the others were easily identified and most of them were also cut in half.

If you can dig out your 15 and take a photo of the top I would be able to consider these done. I'd appreciate that (y)
 
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