SS.398 - The Training and Employment of Bombers (March 1916)

[Blackpig]

Hi Folks, although new to GWF I'm an MA 'Old Bham' and have some experience researching archives/web for Great War sources, but have recently drawn a blank owing to COVID-19 preventing access to IWM: so I'm looking for help.

 

I'm researching the training of infantry battalion grenadiers in the period 1915-16, the evolution from improvised devices to a standard issue Mills 'bomb'. I would dearly like to review a copy of pamphlet SS.398 and asked  IWM to copy theirs for me (for their usual fee) but was advised recently of a (minimum) 25-week delay before any copying services is likely to resolve the considerable backlog of requests they have been unable to progress.

 

If anyone has a copy, or can point me to one (I have tried many usual sources) or even a transcription, I would love to hear from you. 

Many thanks!

[ajsmith]

There's a copy of the September 1916 edition here http://www.314th.org/numbered-documents/0581-the-training-and-employment-of-bombers.pdf presumably that's no good to you.

[Blackpig]

Thanks very much ajsmith, I had seen the September version previously and made notes on it: you’re right though - I need the March version in order to make comparisons between the two (and determine what evolved following the experiences of July 1916)  This link incredibly helpful though - thanks for providing it!

[mebu]

 I think the RE Corps Library at Brompton has a full set of SS, not sure if it's open yet though, worth a try.

 

Peter

[T8HANTS]

This is an American publication of the same title and date, but I don't know if it is a direct copy.. The Americans were copying a lot of our bumf at the time.

 

https://archive.org/details/trainingemployme00unitrich

[Blackpig]

Thanks Peter and T8, hopefully I’ll have a copy v soon. Wasn’t aware of the complete collection at Brompton (and I do need to do some RE research on Ha’s warfare when the current project is over) so that is a useful nugget of info! The US version is a reprint of the Sep 1917 BEF edition, but nice to have access all the same!

 

cheers chaps