Snuff Grenade

[Millsman]

A conversation at Chatham on Sunday made me think about showing a very unusual grenade. Known as the 'Snuff grenade' it was a very lightweight ball made of cardboard and papier mache, and fitted with a firework style igniter / burster tube. The empty grenade weighs only 132 grams. Filled with snuff it was designed to disable enemy troops by blinding them and making it hard to breath. Most probably best used in bunker clearing.

The label appears to read Captain R Glossop's One Hand Grenade. It is thought to have been made by Brocks, the fireworks maker.

The conversation on Sunday informed me that these were used operationally in 1915.

Here are some photos.



The grenade is from the Bonney / Saffery collection.

 

[millsbomber]

Dont sound like WW1 non lethal weapon thats not cricket

 

[reccetrooper]

Cutaway shown online.

http://www.ammunitionpages.com/download/354/British Snuff grenade.pdf

 

[Bonnex]

From a military identification manual:

DATA SHEET NO 2/19 - GRENADE SNUFF
1. DATE OF INTRODUCTION: About 1915 [the grenade was not formally introduced into Service and 'Likely Design Date' would probably be a better title
2. DIMENSIONS:
Length/Height: 120mm including fuze
Diameter 106mm] ignited with a brassard.
3. WEIGHT:
Filled: Not known
Empty: 151g
4. FILLING: Powdered mixture including snuff
5. FUZE TYPE: Brock's match head striker, short delay fuze and bursting composition.
6. DESIGN FEATURES: The grenade consists of a spherical cardboard body filled with a powdered mixture. The body is fitted with a central cardboard tube containing the fuze. The grenade is wrapped in black waterproof tape. The fuze head is covered with waterproofed paper tape and is fitted with a cloth band which is pulled to expose the match head. The grenade is ignited with a brassard.
7. REMARKS: The grenade was designed and manufactured by Brock’s Fireworks as an irritant grenade for use in dug-out clearing.
8. PHOTOGRAPHS: As per those shown on the link.

 

[Eugenio]

It looks similar to the nº 84 Pain's grenade

 

[LEAFLET]

Eugenio,
Do you have a picture or documentation about this No 84 Pain's grenade?
I can't find anything about it.
LEAFLET

 

[Eugenio]

Here you have my database file for nº 84 grenade. I don't have nothing more, but you can go to references URLs.

 

[ron3350]

Here you have my database file for nº 84 grenade. I don't have nothing more, but you can go to references URLs.

View attachment 201665

Here is my Pain's No 84 grenade but I have never seen one marked No 84 on the label.
Australia used a similar grenade made by Phoenix Fireworks Co P/L, Sunshine ,Victoria (Suburb west of Melbourne).
It imitates a shell burst and was used at least in 1950's and called an Aldershot grenade.
The Hawthorn address and Fuze Igniters & Flares may be an earlier version?

Phoenix started making fireworks in 1891 in Sunshine and obviously had military grenade contracts. I cannot find any information on these.