A./P. Hand Grenade No. 69 Mk I (Obsolete)

Over-all length

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Total weight

Filling

Filling weight

Fuze

Delay

Color

Markings

Description: This grenade is a light, impact-firing grenade for offensive action. The body is made of bakelite. The area of burst is very limited, and it can, therefore, be thrown while standing in the open. The two-piece body threads together in the middle. There are a filling hole and plug and a priming hole and plug in the base section. The ba-kelite holder for the fuze threads into a large indentation in the top section. There is a detonator well running lenghtwise through the filling.

The fuze is all-ways acting. The striker rests on a creep spring inside a striker sleeve. The base of the sleeve carries a primer cap. The striker head is cut to receive a lead ball. The closing cap is shaped so that a convex surface fits over the ball. A safety pin passes through a hole in the fuze holder and beneath the striker head to rest on the top of the striker sleeve. A length of tape is attached to this pin. The tape winds around the striker holder and has a small lead weight on its free end. A light bakelite cap threads over this whole assembly and is held securely in place by a piece of adhesive tape.

Operation: The detonator is inserted open end first into the base hole, and the base plug is replaced. The adhesive tape is then removed and the safety cap unscrewed in one half of a turn. After the cap is removed the tape must be held in place by the fore-finger and thumb. When throws, the weight on the end of the tape causes the tape to unwind and pull out the safety pin. Only the creep spring is now holding the striker away from the primer cap. On impact the striker is forced into the primer cap, which initiates the detonator and explodes the grenade.

Remark: Once the tape has unwound and the safety pin is free of the striker, the grenade is a very sensitive condition and should be carefully disposed of.