British soldier photo, Palestine circa 1930's. What's that on the end of his rifle?

[DesertBlooms88]

I have not identified the regiment yet but take a look at the soldier standing 4th from the right of picture.

 

I only just noticed it but can anybody have a go at what it is?

 

Library of Congress image.

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/matpc/item/mpc2010004757/PP/

 

 

A closer view

 

 

DesertBlooms

[.303fan]

a British Enfield Cup Charger?

[.303fan]

http://www.kaisersbunker.com/cef/equipment/cefe22.htm

[RAFMT]

Discharge cup for firing grenades. You pull the pin from the grenade making sure to hold onto the lever, and insert into the cup which holds the lever in place. Load a special blank into the gun, take aim and fire. The pressure from the blank forces the grenade out and once free of the cup it acts like a grenade thrown normally, except it goes a fair bit further.

[DesertBlooms88]

Thankyou very much for the replies.

 

I have looked at a great many photos from this particular collection within the Library of Congress archives and i think this is the only instance of one that i have seen.

 

Just had a look at a YouTube video of one in operation too.

 

Thanks.

[Tony B]

Discharge cup for firing grenades. You pull the pin from the grenade making sure to hold onto the lever, and insert into the cup which holds the lever in place. Load a special blank into the gun, take aim and fire. The pressure from the blank forces the grenade out and once free of the cup it acts like a grenade thrown normally, except it goes a fair bit further.

 

Bind barrel, say prayers and do not make the mistake of putting rifle to shoulder! The Grenade launching cartridge was loaded with Ballisite. Trouble was Cordite,was the standard propelleant. Cordite is a toned down version of Ballisite. The result was the rifle barrel can split and the wood work is shaken to blazes. The common answer was to bind wire or even string around the barrel and wood work to reinforce it. The launch procedure was to ground the butt of the rifle max range was about 150 yards.

[Willyslancs]

just a guess, but is it a bloody big party popper?:whistle:

[Tony B]

Hum!! I could think of few parties I'd enjoy taking it to. :cool2:

[b2414]

Here’s one been used by a armoured car crew. cheers Bill

[Tony B]

That has to be posed! The risk of using one of them in a confined armoured space, :wow: Look at the fore end, see all the binding?

Edited December 1, 2012 by Tony B

[b2414]

His that a disk on the bottom of the grenade ? .:undecided:

[Chris Hall]

The greande base plug has a threaded hole for the gas check disc. It means that a normal grenade can be used as a thrown or launched grenade with the addition of the disc. I think you insert the grenade into the cup and then remove the pin rather than remove pin and insert grenade. A bolt was also fitted through the lower stock infront of the magazine aswell as reinforcing wire around the butt and either side of the forward sling band.

[b2414]

Thanks for the info I can say that I have fired something like this when I was in the army it was a Energa anti-tank rifle grenade which I fired from my SLR and I can say it had some kick back and yes one of the lads put it to his shoulder and went arse over tit :nut:. Cheers Bill

Edited December 1, 2012 by b2414

[DesertBlooms88]

Thankyopu for all of the replies to this thread.

 

I have stumbled on another Library of Congress photo showing this grenade launcher arrangement on the Lee Enfield.

 

British troops at an observation post ( note the grenade launcher attached to rifle ) on the Lubban-Nablus Road in Palestine during the late 1930

LARGE MB file can be accessed here http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/mpc2010004210/PP/

 

 

CLOSE UP

 

 

Overall view ( grenade launcher now at left rear of position, leaning agianst the wall inside observation post )

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/mpc2010004209/PP/

 

 

DesertBlooms88

Edited December 2, 2012 by DesertBlooms88

[Artifficer]

Bind barrel, say prayers and do not make the mistake of putting rifle to shoulder! The Grenade launching cartridge was loaded with Ballisite. Trouble was Cordite,was the standard propelleant. Cordite is a toned down version of Ballisite. The result was the rifle barrel can split and the wood work is shaken to blazes. The common answer was to bind wire or even string around the barrel and wood work to reinforce it. The launch procedure was to ground the butt of the rifle max range was about 150 yards.

Hi Tony

Very true but make sure you fit the 7 second rifle grenade fuse/detonator set as a 4 second hand grenade set might cause embarrasment or a day out with the undertaker.

Regards

Rob

[Minesweeper]

Thanks for the info I can say that I have fired something like this when I was in the army it was a Energa anti-tank rifle grenade which I fired from my SLR and I can say it had some kick back and yes one of the lads put it to his shoulder and went arse over tit :nut:. Cheers Bill

 

I remember seeing the Energa fired, too. The SLR had just been introduced but the Energa was still being fired by us from the Mark 4 Rifle. An over standard length Rifle Sling was used to partially support the Rifle and was "wound" around the man firing it but the rifle butt was placed on the ground when the rifle was fired, so it was the ground that was taking the impact of the recoil. Impressive to watch the trajectory of the missile through the air!

 

Tony

[Tony B]

The NRA museum at Bisley have a couple of Lee Enfeild No1 rifles that have been used as grenade launchers. Very battered little puppies they are to. They also have a one of the remote firing brifles with mirror sights for firing over the parapet.

http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Enfield_trench_periscope_adaptation.htm

[mazungumagic]

Thanks for the info I can say that I have fired something like this when I was in the army it was a Energa anti-tank rifle grenade which I fired from my SLR and I can say it had some kick back and yes one of the lads put it to his shoulder and went arse over tit :nut:. Cheers Bill

 

The Energa was fitted over a grenade launcher which itself was (in my time), fitted over the barrel of an SLR and secured to the bayonet boss. Again a ballistite cartridge was used rather than a ball round and the launcher had some rudimentary folding sights. Like the rifle projected grenade, it wasn't accurate or an enjoyable firing experience. Thank God for the M79 and its big brother the Mk 19 !

 

 

Jack

[Tony B]

There was also the Bullet Through and Bullet Trap type rifle grenades. Originaly a French idea, they must have been desperate! These function with ordinary ball rounds. The projectile either goes through the grenade with the rest of the propellant gas launching the grenade or the round is trapped in the grenade which then flys off.

 

Rifle grenades seem to have gone out of military fashion following the develepmont of Panzerfaust , and the ubiqitoue RPG.

Now the UGL seems to be in fashion as the variety of rounds that can be fired allows for tactical versitilaty.

[Enigma]

Here’s one been used by a armoured car crew. cheers Bill

[ATTACH=CONFIG]69977[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

Is that a skull on the turret?

Can't be very PC....

[b2414]

yes it is heres one from the front Bill

[Tony B]

The advice at the time, so I've been told was. If involved in a vehicle collision with the local men folk. Make sure their dead. It only costs 2/6 (Half a Crown or about 12 1/2 p) to bury them . If they are injured you have medical costs , family costs etc. Apparently there was a standard rate for a Donkey, mule Camel and Horse, but Women didn't count.

[Bob Grundy]

Skull; Just think of the outrage and much use of that new word 'unaceptable' if a vehicle with a real skull was photographed in Afganistan today.......

[DesertBlooms88]

One colour photo on the Imperial War Museum website showing a British grenade discharger cup

 

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30021404