Page 14 - History of War - Issue 10-14

Frontline
GRENADE

FromAncientGreekfire,tothemodernM67,
grenadeshaveprovidedatacticaledgeon

battlefields throughout the centuries

FLINTLOCKHAND SAFETYATLAST 1961
ASAFETYCLIP,1,200YEARSON
Country USA/Vietnam
MORTAR 1760 Asafetypinhadbeenattached
SEVENYEARS’WAR,MANILA to grenades since the early 20th
Country PHILIPPINES Century,butonlyin1961wasthe
A primitive type of grenade safety clip introduced. Nicknamed
launcher, the hand mortar the jungle clip, it stopped grenades
fired grenades with increased accidentally going off by the
range and power. A soldier dislodging of the safety pin,
wouldlightthefusehimself especially by jungle growth in the
before shoving the bomb dense tropical forests of Vietnam.
intothebarrelandpulling
the trigger. The mortar was GRENADIERS
propelled by gunpowder and
first used in the Siege of 17TH CENTURY
Manila in 1762 and the Seven ELITETROOPSTHROWNINTOTHE
Years’ War (1756-1763). HEAT OF BATTLE
Country Britain & Europe
Soldiers tasked with throwing
grenades had featured in
warfare since the 14th-Century
Ming dynasty. However, the
17th Century saw their golden
Misfires were common in age, where a special grenadier Removing the safety
theflintlockmechanism.The pin would give the
grenade would sometimes ignite company was included in nearly soldiers four seconds
butgetstuckinthebarrel every frontline regiment, evolving to throw the grenade
intoaspecialistassaultforce. toasafedistance.

Battalions of grenadiers
wouldleadassaults,suchas
thisPrussianonein1745.

Grenadiers were
selected from the most
physically fit soldiers.

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