Page 87 - History of War - Issue 05-14

and forming “blocks” using sandbags, shields,
spades and anything else that members of the
party carried with them. On the defence the
Handgranatentrupp went into action immediately
and unbidden by higher authority, as was
illustrated by orders issued to 235th Reserve
Infantry in December 1915:
All men of the party carry their rifles slung,
bayonets fixed and daggers ready, with the
exception of the two leaders, who do not carry
rifles. The latter may carry as many grenades
as they can conveniently handle and should if
possible be armed with pistols. The commander,
similarly armed, follows the two leading men…
The remaining three men follow the others one
traverse to the rear; they keep within sight of
their commander, and carry as many grenades
as possible. The two leading men advance along
the trench in a crouching posture, so that the
commander can fire over them. The interval
between traverses is crossed at a rush.
By early 1916 the Handgranatentrupp was
further refined so that it comprised eight men
plus a leader. The eight could be broken down Ammunition for the 2inch
into two subsections of four, with the lead portion trench mortar, or “Toffee
of the Gruppe composed of two “throwers”, with Apple” being brought up
two “carriers” in support. When necessary all on the Somme
four threw grenades, creating short but heavy
showers of bombs. To deal with a blockhouse or
machine gun post two members of the lead team feet and I looked and saw a Hun at handshake Trench mortars, catapults and rifle grenades all
would adopt sniping positions, keeping down distance firing. I was in a shell hole almost developed rapidly during the first 18 months of
the heads of the defenders whilst the remainder instantaneously. But the second I got in I saw a the war. It was also true that all applied the same
worked their way around the objective using shell hand grenade just falling in my hole so I dashed basic principle of lobbing a missile at a high
holes or any other handy cover. Finally they would off and got into another five yards further away. angle, so that it would fall into defensive works.
rush the position from unexpected angles. As I ran they threw six at me which burst in a The payload of the bomb and its detonator were
By the middle of the war many commanders shower all round and I felt my left hand go numb contained in a cylinder on the end of a rod. The
on both sides were becoming concerned that as I fell into the crater and when I looked at it rod was slid into the barrel of the service rifle,
their men had gone “bomb mad” – by which they there was only a red pulp with splinters of bones which was loaded with a special blank cartridge.
meant that they tended to use bombs rather than and tendons in it on the end of my arm… I got The pressure behind the rod forced the grenade
rifles. Injunctions were issued demanding that out my field dressing and poured iodine over the out of the rifle at speed and the grenade shot off
skills with the rifle should be strictly maintained. jelly and put on the dressings as well as I could towards the enemy. Being nose heavy the end
Being “bombed” was an almost uniquely and then bound my arm to my stick with my tie. bearing the percussion device hit the ground first
terrifying experience, and one which Lieutenant As soon as this was done I ate my maps with all and exploded the grenade.
Symons of the 2/8th Worcesters barely survived the HQs marked on them.” The German rifle grenades were the models
when caught out in No Man’s Land: “The 1913 and 1914 and the main British type
first thing I knew about it was a rifle going off Grenade launchers the “J” Pattern, later known as the “No 3”.
point blank and I turned round and cursed the Whilst grenades in the hands of small teams Though such grenades were fairly local in their
sniper who was with me as I thought he had were the first weapons to find chinks in the effects the impact could be increased by firing
let off his rifle. As I turned I saw the earth at tyranny of lines and trenches, many devices them off in volleys, perhaps from stands set to
his feet kick up and then a bullet came at my were tried with greater or lesser success. predetermined angles within the trench system.
The “No 3” was powerful enough to dissolve
into a cloud of fragments on detonation likely to
cause serious injury or death to anyone within a
circle 10 feet in diameter, and quite a few injuries
well beyond that range.
By 1916 Mills bombs were adapted for rifle
projection, first with the addition of a rod, and
finally by means of a cylindrical “discharger”.
The French, Germans and Americans all adopted
rifle grenades projected from dischargers or
cups later in the war. The French model, also
used by US forces, was the “Vivien Bessière”,
a small grenade fired from a muzzle attachment
or “tromblon”. The cartridge used to launch the
bomb was a bulleted round which passed through
a channel in the grenade and ignited its fuse as
it was launched. Though it was not adopted by
the British Army the “VB” grenade received its UK
patent in January 1916.
The mortar was a weapon of surprising
antiquity, having been in existence since about
1500. Interest in the development of modern
A German MG 08 deployed on “trench mortars” stemmed from the Russo-
an improvised wooden “trench Japanese War of 1904-05. It was the Germans
mount”, used to improve the who were most alert to the possibilities, noting
weapon’s battlefield mobility how mortars might be applied to French

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