قوة المشاة الهندية "د"، أوامر روتينية عامة (غير كاملة) [و‎‎١‎٣‎٩] (٧٧٤/٢٩٠)

139
ANNEXURE TO GENERAL ROUTINE ORDERS,
- Dated 2nd November, 1916.
Notes on the Preparation of Mills Hand
Grenades.
1. The reasons for the failure of MILLS HAND GRENADES may be divided
into three classes, viz. :—
Failures due to mechanism of the grenade.
Failures due to cap, fuze or detonator being in bad condition.
Failures due to bursting charge being in bad condition.
2. Failures due to mechanism are all preventible if the work of fuzing grenades
is carried out systematically. Before the grenade is fuzed it should be carefully cleaned,
all grease or rust being removed from the head of the striker. The safety pin should
be withdrawn and the lever allowed to rise one inch from the grenade. It should at
this distance still retain the striker ; if the striker is released the grenade should be
condemned as it would be likely to cause a premature. If there is not a sufficient
“pull” on the lever the striker should be taken out, cleaned and replaced ; if it still does
not pull satisfactorily the grenade should be condemned, as it would probably be blind.
3. When striker is in position and safety pin replaced, fuze detonator and cap can
be inserted. Caps of later make are provided with a gas escape hole which tends to
prevent prematures. Caps should be examined and if without hole the box of capsand
detonators should be exchanged. There is no objection to putting luting on the junction
of fuze and detonator if it is done at this stage, but it is doubtful if it serves any useful
purpose. On no account should boxes of detonators be opened before being required
merely for the purpose of applying luting.
4. The cap must fit properly into the recess and allow of the base plug being firmly
, screwed home. If the cap will not fit in properly the grenade must be condemned:
The base plug should be screwed well home, the key being used to get it quite tight:
if it is left loose the cap may cushion on the plug and fail to explode when struck.
, 5. As regards the two last classes of failures, if cap, fuze, detonator or bursting
charge have deteriorated nothing can be done in the field to render them again service
able, but much may be done by care and supervision to prevent this deterioration, Not
only should grenades be kept cool by protection from the direct rays of the sun, but
the greatest care should be taken to prevent their getting damp.
6. Grenades which are under suspicion of having unserviceable bursting charges
can be examined by unscrewing the filling hole plug and testing the charge by stirring
with a splinter of wood. If found to be in a loose powder the charge is probably in
good condition ; if it has set into a hard cake it is almost certainly unserviceable and
one or two of such grenades should be tried, and if they fail the boxes affected should
be condemned.
3rd S. & M. Field Press.