Unidentified object from an English trench in Italy (Asiago 1918)

[Tonolik]

Hello to all,

I have found these objects in front of an English trench on the plateau of Asiago.

For who knows this zone the exact place is Alhambra trench on San Sisto Ridge, where in June 1918 he was the battalion 11/Sherwood Foresters.

I never see similar object on Italian front, so I think they are an English specific equipment.

Could you help me to identify these objects? Thanks in advance.

Bye (and sorry for my bad english).

[Tonolik]

more photos

fori = holes

coperchio saldato = welded cover

panno/feltro = cloth/felt

[59165]

Hello.

They look like tin's for the detonators for Mills grenades.

Dave.

[James Blonde]

Or is it a field stove of some type?

Connaught Stranger.

[Gunner Bailey]

Hello.

They look like tin's for the detonators for Mills grenades.

Dave.

I'll confirm that Dave. I thought that pattern with the metal matrix was WW2 though. Happy to be proved wrong though!

John

[59165]

You could have something there,John.

I seem to recall that Andy's tin,that came in the dug Mills box,had a wooden centre.

Sound right?

Dave.

[Tonolik]

Thanks for the answers

Or is it a field stove of some type?

In effects this was an other hypothesis.

Hello.

They look like tin's for the detonators for Mills grenades.

Dave.

The diameter of 25 holes is 6 mm. The upper hole coincides with the lower. Total height is 70 mm.

The single centrale hole have a diameter of 20 mm

[Gunner Bailey]

You could have something there,John.

I seem to recall that Andy's tin,that came in the dug Mills box,had a wooden centre.

Sound right?

Dave.

That's right for some Dave , but I believe that many of the WW1 versions had a roll of cardboard that had been drilled with the 24 holes needed for the 12 dets. This always is lost over time.

Here's a photo of my WW2 tin.

John

[Paul Reed]

All the ones I've ever seen come out of the ground on the Western Front had wooden centres. One example I have seen still had the red paint on it.

[Gunner Bailey]

I've just noticed that the one in the post has 15 holes and the sizes are all the same. Maybe not Mills after all?

John

[Tonolik]

Founded on :

http://www.millsgrenades.co.uk/images/Mill...0det%20tins.JPG

The exterior very similar.

[Tonolik]

It could be the container of Bickford fuse like thisone? (Photo taken from http://members.fortunecity.com/milit/ukgrenades.htm)

Thanks to all with your answers you have addressed me to the solution.

Bye.

[Gunner Bailey]

Yes i think it is a fuse container, perhaps for the No15 grenade?

John

[Tonolik]

Yes i think it is a fuse container, perhaps for the No15 grenade?

John

It is possible, I have to ask if, in the same area, has been found this type of Mills.

Thanks, bye.

[centurion]

The no 15 'cricket ball' grenade was withdrawn before British troops went to Italy. Tonolik - the grenade you show in your last post looks like a no 15 but it isn't a Mills bomb. The no 5 was the proto Mills bomb (there were many more versions over time). Not every British grenade is a Mills. If that was a  no 15 fuse holder its out of place and out of time.

[Tonolik]

The no 15 'cricket ball' grenade was withdrawn before British troops went to Italy. Tonolik - the grenade you show in your last post looks like a no 15 but it isn't a Mills bomb. The no 5 was the proto Mills bomb (there were many more versions over time). Not every British grenade is a Mills. If that was a no 15 fuse holder its out of place and out of time.

thanks for the note, in spring I will visit the museums of the zone (it's far from my home), we will see that type of grenades was founded.