No. 76 Special Incendiary Grenade
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| No 76, Special Incendiary Phosphorus | |
|---|---|
| Type | Incendiary |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Production history | |
| Number built | 6,000,000[1] |
| Specifications | |
| Filling | phosphorus, |
| Detonation mechanism |
Impact |
The No. 76 was an incendiary grenade based on white phosphorus used during World War II.
The design was the suggestion of the British phosphorus manufacturing firm of Albright and Wilson at a time when the UK faced possible invasion by the Germans. As such it would be used by organised resistance units as part of a last ditch attempt.
It was a glass bottle filled with white phosphorus, benzene, a piece of rubber and water. Over time the rubber dissolved to create a sticky fluid which would self ignite when the bottle broke. The grenade could either be thrown by hand, or fired from the Northover projector, a simple mortar; a stronger container was needed for the latter and the two types were colour-coded. As any breakage of the flask would be dangerous, storage under water was recommended. Like the Sticky bomb it did not engender much confidence in its users.
[edit] Notes
- ^ MacKenzie, 1995, p92: gives a figure of "more than 6,000,000 by August 1941".
[edit] References
- MacKenzie, S P. The Home Guard: A Military and Political History. Oxford University Press, 1995 ISBN 0-19-820577-5.
[edit] See also
| British Grenades of World War I & World War II |
|---|
| Anti-personnel |
| Grenade, No 1 Hales | No.s 5, 23, 36 Mills | No. 69 | No.s 8, 9 Double Cylinder Jam Tin |
| Anti-tank |
| No. 68 AT (Rifle) | No. 73 Thermos | No. 74 Sticky bomb | No. 75 AT Hawkins | |
| Special Types |
| No. 82 Gammon | No. 76 (WP) | No. 77 (WP) | "Lewes bomb" |
