French WWI Grenade Lot: Eight Grenades

French WWI Grenade Lot: Eight Grenades

Seven French WWI hand grenades, all inert.  Includes a VB rifle grenade, Model 1915 F1 Defensive grenade, 'Citron Foug' Mle. 1916 Grenade, Suffocating grenade Mle. 1916, Bertrand Suffocante Grenade Mle. 1915, barbed wire destruction rod, and '3rd Army' Petard grenade.

VB rifle grenade has traces of blackened finish, exterior appears to have been lacquered.

Model 1915 F1 Defensive grenade has segmented cast iron body with dark patina, fitted with a Mle. 1916 Billant igniter which is shorn flush just past the threads.

Citron Foug Mle.1916 grenade of segmented iron has white painted finish and a portion of the wood plug detonator assembly. 

Mle. 1916 Suffocating grenade has leaded iron body with central raised ridge, worn dark olive finish, and top with brass collar that allowed the use of a number of different plug igniters, none of which are currently installed.

Bertrand Suffocante Grenade Mle. 1915 is constructed of six identical curved iron segments cast with holes in the center and channels for the wire that combines them into a sphere.  They originally englobed a glass vial containing chloroacetone, which ideally burst when thrown against a hard surface, mixed with the atmosphere, and created enough tear gas to encourage the enemy to abandon their bunkers and other hidey-holes during a trench raid.  This example has no finish remaining, oxidized patina throughout, with replaced wire and lacks the glass vial.  Most on the market today (including this one, in my opinion) are assembled from parts recovered at the spots where the Poilu discreetly disposed of them, a transgression preferable to having them break open accidentally in their own grenade bag, which period accounts suggest was not an uncommon annoyance.

Explosive rod for barbed wire destruction is among a variety of the original improvised wood rod grenades, devised as the French Army sought to adapt to stagnant trench warfare, for the creation of breaches in the enemy's barbed wire prior to an assault.  It is simply a cylinder made with a rolled and riveted steel plate, plugged at the top with a wooden block, and at the base with a wooden stick . This stick was pierced with a holefor a traction igniter setting fire to a powder line cord linked to the detonator.

"Third Army" Petard Grenade is 35.5cm (14") overall with 12.5cm (5") segmented iron cylinder plugged at one end with a fuze cord and at the top, wired to a wood stack with a wire belt loop.  I believe most of these on the market are battlefield recovered original components that have been remounted to wood handles to complete them for display, this example included.

OF1 Offensive Grenade Mle. OF1 tinned iron offensive grenade has M1916 Billant igniter, retains traces of horizon blue painted finish with with dark oxidized patina on the worn areas.  These were used in trench raids and other offensives when you did not wish to leap into the cloud of heavy shrapnel released by your own grenade!  

$400-$500