The Robesonian., 1918-07-15


fessor instructs the platoon in throw
ing them. He takes liam tin" from
the fire step, trembling a little, be- |
cause it is nervous work, especially |
when new at it, lights the fuse on his |
striker. The fuse begins to "sizz" and |
sputter and spiral of smoke, like |
that from smoldering fag, rises from |
it. The platoon splits in two and
ducks around the traverse nearest to
them. They don't like the looks and
sound Of the burning fuse. When that
fuse begins to smoke and 'sizz" you
want to say good-by to it as soon as
possible, so Tommy with all his might
chucks it over the top and crouches
against the parapet, waiting for the
explosion.
Lots Of times in bombing the 'tjam
tin" would be picked up by the Ger
mans, before it exploded, and thrown
back at Tommy with dire results.
After lot Of men went West in this
manner an order was issued, reading
something like this:
ITO all ranks in the British army:
After igniting the fuse and before
throwing the jam-tin bomb, count
slowly one! two! three!"
This in order to give the fuse time
enough to burn down, so that the bomb
would explode before the Germans
could throw it back.
Tommy read the order-he reads
them all, but after he ignited the fuse
and 1t began to smoke-orders were
forgotten, and away she went in record
time and back she came to the further
discomfort of the thrower.
Then another order was issued to
count, zone hundred! two hundred !
three hu1dred!'' But Tommy didn't
care If the order read to count up to
a thousand by quarters, he was going
to get rid Of that "jam tln," because
from experience he had learned not
to trust it.
that they could not change Tommy
they decided to change the type of
bomb and did so-substituting the
chair brush," the "cricket ball." and
later the Mills bomb.
The standard bomb used in the Brit
ish army is the 'Mills." It is about the
shape and size Of large lemon. Al
though not actually lemon, Fritz in
sists that it is; perhaps he judges ii
by the havoc caused by it's explosion
The Mills bomb is made of steel, the
: outside of which is corrugated into 4e
small squares, which, upon the explo
sion of the bomb, scatter in a wide
: area, wounding or killing any Fritz
who is unfortunate enough to be hi
: by one Of the flying fragments.
, Although a very destructive and eff
fidence of the thrower, in that h
2 knows it will not explode until re
t leased from his grip.
D It is a mechanical device, with ].
lever, fitted into slot at the top
e which extends half way around tn
e circumference and is held in place a
q the bottom by fixing pin. In this pil
b there is a small metal ring, for tn
o purpose of extracting the pin whel
v ready to throw.
J. You do not throw bomb the way
d baseball is thrown, because, when i
o narrow trench, your hand is liabl
r to strike against the parados, travers
e or parapet, and then down goes tn
It bomb, and, in couple of seconds 9
o SO, up goes Tommy,
In throwing, the bomb and lever ar
d grasped In the right hand, the left foe
Is is advanced, knee stiff, about one an
D. half it's length to the front, Will
le the right leg, knee bent, is carrie
le slightly to the right. The left arm
lg extended at an angle of 45 degree
pointing In the direction the bomb is
~ be thrown. This position is simils
m to that of shot putting, only that tt
a. right arm is extended downward. The
in you hurl the bomb from you with 6
overhead bowling motion, the same {
IN in cricket, throwing it fairly high
Of the air, this in order to give the flu
ne chance to burn down so that Wht
h. the bomb lands, it Immediately e
ar. plodes and gives the Germans no tir
ye. to scamper out of its range or to +
% turn it.
q AS the bomb leaves your hand, t
lel lever, by means Of spring, is project
ng into the air and falls harmlessly
to the ground a few feet in front of t
of bomber.
er- When the lever flies off it releas
i'm a strong spring, which forces the fri
lid pin into percussion cap. This ignit
led the fuse, which burns down and 81
or off the detonator, charged with full
the nate Of mercury, which explodes
main charge Of ammonal.
to The average British soldier is not
me expert at throwing: It is q new ga
or to him, therefore the Canadians q
an Americans, who have played baseb
9TH fro,, +bo J,;n5orr,r+o, ~, +olyo no