No. 73 grenade
| No. 73 | |
|---|---|
_diagram.jpg) | |
| Type | Anti-tank grenade |
| Place of origin |  United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1940-1941 1943-?1945 |
| Used by | United Kingdom |
| Wars | Second World War |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 4.5 pounds (2.0 kg) |
| Length | 11 inches (280 mm) |
| Diameter | 3.5 inches (89 mm) |
| Filling | Polar ammonal gelatine dynamite or nitrogelatine |
| Filling weight | 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) |
Detonation mechanism | Impact |
The No. 73 grenade, also known as the Thermos or Woolworth bomb,[1] was a British anti-tank grenade used during the Second World War. It got its nickname from the resemblance to a Thermos flask.
Development
With the end of the Battle of France and the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from the port of Dunkirk between 26 May and 4 June 1940, a German invasion of Great Britain seemed likely.[2] However, the British Army was not well-equipped to defend the country in such an event; in the weeks after the Dunkirk evacuation it could only field twenty-seven divisions.[3] The Army was particularly short of anti-tank guns, 840 of which had been left behind in France and only 167 were available in Britain; ammunition was so scarce for the remaining guns that regulations forbade even a single round being used for training purposes.[3] As a result of these shortcomings, a number of new anti-tank weapons had to be developed to equip the British Army and the Home Guard with the means to repel German armoured vehicles.[4] Many of these were anti-tank hand grenades, large numbers of which could be built in a very short space of time and for a low cost.[1] They included the Grenade, Hand, Anti-tank No. 74, also known as the 'Sticky bomb', which was coated with a strong adhesive and 'stuck' to a vehicle, and the No. 76 Special Incendiary Grenade, essentially a British variation on the Molotov cocktail.[5] Ian Hogg states that the "simplest of these grenades" was the No. 73 grenade, which was known under a variety of names, including the hand percussion grenade,[6] the Thermos bomb and the Woolworth bomb.[1]
Design
The No. 73 grenade had a roughly cylindrical shape and plastic screw-on cap,[7] similar to that of a Thermos flask, from which the 'Thermos bomb' nickname was derived.[8] It was approximately 3.5 inches (89 mm) in diameter and 11 inches (280 mm) in length,[9] and weighed some 4.5 pounds (2.0 kg). Its explosive content consisted of 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) of polar ammonal gelatine dynamite or nitrogelatine - both of which were easily flammable and could be detonated by the impact of small-arms fire.[7] When thrown at a tank or other vehicle, a weighted tape held in the users hand unravelled and pulled free a safety pin, which was attached to a No. 69 "All-ways" fuse; this armed and then subsequently detonated the grenade.[10] However, its considerable weight meant that it could only be thrown short distances,[1] limiting its range to between 10 yards (9.1 m) and 15 yards (14 m),[7] and its detonation could injure the user if they did not find cover before it detonated.[1] It was able to penetrate 2 inches (51 mm) of armour,[11] and "damage severely any light tank."[6] However, it was best used against the tracks of a tank, which it could easily blow off[7] and force its crew to waste time by stopping and repairing it.[12]
Operational history
The No. 73 grenade was first issued in the last months of 1940, but it was rarely used as an anti-tank grenade; instead the fuse was usually removed and it was used as a demolition charge. It was withdrawn from service within a year, and reissued again in 1943 for the express purpose of being used for demolition work.[7]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Mackenzie, p. 92
- ^ Mackenzie, p. 20
- ^ a b Lampe, p. 3
- ^ Hogg, pp. 237-239
- ^ Hogg, pp. 239-240
- ^ a b Hogg, p. 239
- ^ a b c d e Rottman, World War II Infantry Assault Tactics, p. 25
- ^ Longmate, p. 77
- ^ Rottman, World War II Infantry Assault Tactics, p. 62
- ^ Bull, p. 30
- ^ Rottman, World War II Infantry Anti-Tank Tactics, p. 62
- ^ Bull, pp. 30-31
Bibliography
- Bull, Stephen (2004). World War II Infantry Tactics. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1841766631.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Hogg, Ian (1995). Tank Killers: Anti-Tank Warfare by Men and Machines. Pan Macmillan. ISBN 0330353160.
- Lampe, David (1968). The Last Ditch: Britain's Secret Resistance and the Nazi Invasion Plan. Greenhill Books. ISBN 9781853677304.
- Longmate, Norman (1974). The Real Dad's Army: The Story of the Home Guard. Hutchinson Library Services.
- Lowry, Bernard (2004). British Home Defences 1940-45. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1841767670.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Mackenzie, S.P. (1995). The Home Guard: A Military and Political History. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0198205775.
- Rottman, Gordon L. (2005). World War II Infantry Anti-Tank Tactics. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1841768421.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Rottman, Gordon L. (2008). World War II Infantry Assault Tactics. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9781846031915.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)
External links
- School for Home Guard - news item featuring thermos bomb (Newsreel). British Pathé. 7 August 1941. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
- Home Guard website article