Grenades on Gallipoli 1915

[stevenbecker]

Mates,

You maybe able to help here with British bombs.

As mentioned the Jam tin bomb is well known to all but another bombs are not.

I have an order mentioning some I don't know?

An order gives each bomb thrower ten Jam tin bombs or 20 small grenades (what are these?)

Also the order mentions a box of Lotbiner bombs (what are these?)

Latesly Bean mentions (page 626 Vol 2 AOWH) some type of "stick bomb designed to bust upon percussion" (what are these?)

Thanks for any insight.

S.B

[Jeff Pickerd]

Steve,

The other small hand grenade (bomb) were ones manufactured in Malta, from memory a round cast iron and brass bomb with lit fuse. A search of this site for Grenades should bring up either a description and/or photograph.

The Lotbiniere bomb was developed by Major-General The Hon. A. C. de L. Loly de Lotbiniere, C.B., C.S.I., C.I.E. R.E. Chief Engineer on Birdwoods staff. At landing on the 25th April Engineer officer in charge, 3rd Brigade. (Official History A.I.F. Vol 1, pages 209, 280, 457 & 573.

3rd Aust Inf Bde war diary, April 1915. (AWM War Diaries)

Tuesday 29 June 1915, 8th L.H. Regt, Russell's Top.

Sgt Major Worrall recorded in his diary: “Our men are very weary but wonderfully cheerful. We tried a

new style of bomb called the ‘Butterpat’. It consists of a two and a half lbs of gun cotton and a two

seconds fuse wired onto a piece of board with a handle like a butter pat. These were discharged from

No. 2 Sap, which is only 15 yards from the enemy’s trench. The result was more than we expected.

Earth was thrown from the Turk’s trench back into our firing line, 40 yards away, the earth shook as

from an earthquake tremor.”

Aust L.H. Assoc, General Discussion forum, page 13 of 58, topic, "Diary of R. G. Casey - Anzac Cove", posted by John Rice, 9/2/2008.

http://www.lighthorse.org.au/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3905

Description and sketch of the Lotbiniere bomb, page 26 (9th June 1915). Page 229 has the typed entry for this day.

The stick bomb I have no idea, other than it may have been the bomb fired from the Japanese mortar, that had a wooden tail-end that fitted into the barrel of the gun.

Or is Bean referring to the Lotbiniere bomb?

Jeff

[Wayne Saillard]

Hello Steve !

The following might be of some interest. See

I also have a photo of the (small) grenade in question.

Regards

Wayne

[cockney tone]

Steve,

interesting post, when i visited Gallipoli a couple of years ago we happened upon a detontar and wire wrapped in some decaying wading that we think had come from a Jam Tin bomb! (We left it were it was!)

Jeff,

was unawre of these items, thanks for the info.

Wayne,

thanks for the link, i was unaware of the tragic incident!

Regards and best wishes,

Scottie.

[stevenbecker]

Mates,

Thanks for the details and thesketch of the Lotbiner bomb.

This must be the "Stick bomb" refered to by Bean?

Do we know of any photos of them or the egg shaped bombs made in Malta?

cheers

S.B

[Guest]

Steve,

Go here

http://cas.awm.gov.au/PROD/cst.acct_master...r&bos=Win32

and put the words, bomb gallipoli in, choose all words, and ww1

There are photos of the bombs you are talking about. There is a Malta Bomb on page two.

Cheers

Kim