P Bombs ? What are they ?

[fellop]

Just reading a War Diary and Op Order for a Trench Raid. Bombers were to carry 6 MSK Bombs and 6 P Bombs each.

I know MSK Bombs are a Tear Gas Type Bomb but what is a P Bomb ?.

Later in the Post Raid report:

The use of P Bombs caused considerable volume of smoke in the trenches and hindered the operations.

Also in a report from a soldier post raid.

………….. we came to a deep dugout and as there were no clearing party nearby we shouted down for the Germans to come out, they refused and we threw down a P Bomb and blew in the entrance……………….

In the Op Order it also states that bombers of the Clearing Party were to carry 2 Mills Bombs each, so a P Bomb is not a Mills Bomb; any help please ?

Regards

Peter

 

[awjdthumper]

P-bombs were white phosphorous grenades used to generate large amounts of white smoke.

[fellop]

25 minutes ago, awjdthumper said:

P-bombs were white phosphorous grenades used to generate large amounts of white smoke.

Thanks for that. Being White Phos would that then give the effect as described by the soldier on his post raid report describing a dug out that they threw down a P Bomb and blew in the entrance ?

Regards

Peter

[awjdthumper]

35 minutes ago, fellop said:

Thanks for that. Being White Phos would that then give the effect as described by the soldier on his post raid report describing a dug out that they threw down a P Bomb and blew in the entrance ?

Regards

Peter

The p-bomb or No. 26 grenade came in the form of a cylindrical tin can with a fuse on top. I assume a small bursting charge was used to blow off the end of the tin can and then the ingress of air into the white phosphorus at the other end caused it to ignite (it is pyrophoric) and rapidly emit clouds of white smoke. I don't think it would have had much explosive effect and assume they used a Mills Bomb to blow in the entrance although I would have thought this would have been done before the P-bomb was thrown?

[Gunner Bailey]

The P Bomb would be a No. 26 but they were mainly intended for use with spring guns. Filling was Red Phosphorous. I've not heard of them being used in trench raids, but would not exclude it. The No.27 introduced in 1916 was probably more suitable for trench raids. The No. 27 used White Phosphorous. 

 

[fellop]

My thanks to all for the information. Attached scanned section of Op Order for the raid showing Bombers to take 6 MSK and 6 P Bombs.

 

Regards

Peter

 

[Gunner Bailey]

11 hours ago, ALAN MCMAHON said:

  The 1st Honourable Artillery Company  used P Bombs for it's attack towards the Hindenburg Line at Gavrelle on St. George's Day, April 23rd 1917. It held the position and resisted counter-attacks by German Guards over the next 2 days,  The War Diary reports  on this action report that the only mistake in the planning was the use of P Bombs- presumably the Type 27 mentioned by Gunner Bailey-  as they burnt out German dug-outs , the bombs made the dug-outs  unusable-with or without any human burnt human content. Consequently, the defence against the inevitable (and always expected) German counter-attack was made that much more difficult

By 1917 the grenades would have been No. 27s. It's worth noting that when these were transported on ships they had to be stored on deck as they were deemed liable to burst into flames at any time. (hardly user friendly).

[fellop]

Just a background. The Trench Raid in question, and for which the scan of part of the Op Order applies. Was by the 15 Notts & Derby [Sherwood Foresters] on the night of 25 October 1916.

Regards

Peter

[Gunner Bailey]

The M.S.K Bombs referred to would be No.28 Chemical Grenades, which were filled with various fillings including Methyliodoacetate (M.S.K). So a joint chemical and smoke attack on dugouts. This grenade was officially introduced in February 1917, but may have been in use earlier, as it was also designed for spring gun use.

[Buonarotti]

"P" bombs were used by the HOWE Battalion (188th Infantry, 63rd RN Divison) in a trench raid near Englebelmer on 26th October 1916.  

In a report by their Brigadier General (name not included on the report):
As regards the use of “P” Bombs in these raids
When a “P” bomb is dropped into a dug-out, some time must elapse before it can be entered and where time is of importance in a raid, an identification out of the dug-out cannot be obtained, and therefore the use of “P” bombs in future is not recommended.