The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-03-22
HAND GRENADE USED IN 1885
Deadly Implement Recorded as Far
Back as the Siege of Aries


The use OF hand grenades as an
implement OF war dates back nearly
four centuries, and this deadly
weapon remains today, as in the Six
teenth century, one of the most ef-
fective weapons of warfare, says a
New York special TO the Indianapolis
News. In the carrent issue of the
United States Infantry Journal, pub
lished by officers of that arm of the
regular service, there is an article
dealing with grenades, which is a.
translation from the German military
publication, Observation-Disclosures.
Hand grenaaes,' the article
reads, las an implement Of warfare,
date back many centuries. History
records their use as far back as 1886
at the siege Of Aries. Up to the
dose of the eighteenth century SOL
.dsers were uHined in the throwing
pf hand grenades. They were for
that reason called grenadiers.
The grenadiers were holluw balls
of iron or other metal, aboat:rv and
Ia half inches in diameter, flied with
powder and provided with "a fuse,
which was lighted before being
thrown. At first there we're few
in each regiment, later entire COM
panies were formed, and sull later
every infantry battalion had its own
grenadier Company, which in the dif-
ferent armies had precedence over
the other companies at paTades and
other formations. This continued to
be the case dong after the .grenadiers
| had ceased TO carry grenades, which
had originally given them their
| names; their distinguishing charac-
teristic became their great height
and their peculiar headdress (grena-
dier caps-}
During fhe war between Russia
and Japan hand grenades were again
used in great quantities by both
sides, especially in fighting at close
quarters, and in assaults On the diff
| ferent forts about Port Arthur.
FThose of the japanese were in the
shape of a small, thin cylinder, about
teight inches long and three inches
lthick, which were filed with ex-
| plosives, and had a safety fnse in the
seover. If the fuse was lighted before
Throwing, the grenade would have
about nine seconds to reach its des-
tination before exploding. 1t did
nut, however, burn long eneugh to
nlake it possible for the enemy 70
pick. it up and throw it away before it
| could do any damage.
Return to Former TYpes-
/ I'm a general way these grenades
and their use indicate return to
former types. Any conserve can fill
ed with powder or &gnamite and pro-
vided with a fuse. could accomplish
about nhe same damage.
Nevertheless, the effect Of these
hand grenades, especially in an en-
closed space, was very great. For
example, an one occasion a guard Of
seventeen men in the guard room
were killed by the explosion of an
improvised grenade Of this type,
which consisted of a piece of gum
cotton provided with fuse, and
which was thrown into the room
through a window.
"As the effect of the grenades is
great, especially when they are used
either under favorable conditions. for
example, in the hands of an assault
ing column or a s0rtie, detachment,
the japanese employed special pro-
teetive nets, which consisted of
wooden frames covered with strong
wire netting from 120 to 210 cent?
MSlE1S NuCu WOl Mug Oll 1Ol IL
fcations at close range from the
enemy. \
'If hand grenades attained so
satisfactory an effect in an improvis-
ed form it is not surprising that the
inventors mind occupied itself with
this means of combat, and has en-
deavored to adapt it to the require
ments of modern warfare.
First of all, it was very impor-
tant to invent projectile that would
unite deadly effectiveness with COM
plete safety to the thrower. Mr..
Aasen, the Danish inventor, con-
structed number of hand, rifle and
mine grenades, which are said to full
fill these requirements.
THE hand grenades are carried
by a man until required and then
thrown hy hand The rif1a or 'hOW-