Imperial ordnance, Part 3: The Kugelhandgranate (ball handgrenade)

[JensF.]

Introduced in 1913 it was the first handgrenade of the german army! There were many different versions, including even rifle grenades. The most common types are Model 13 and Model 15; Model 13 is much rarer. Shown below is the "Kugelhandgranate 13 mit Brennzünder für Kugelhandgranaten" (ball grenade 13 with burning time fuse). This first type has a really unique and antique looking design.


Technical data (model 13 and 15 ball handgrenades):

Material: Cast iron (body), brass (fuse)
Weight: ca. 750 g
Diameter: ca. 80 mm
Charge: ca. 50 g of black powder or NC blank catridge powder
Fuse: Brennzünder für Kugelhandgranaten 13 or 15 (used also for the egg handgrenade 16 and 17)
Fuse delay: 7 or 5 sec. (depending on the color marking: wide red circle was 7 sec., thin red circle was 5 sec.)
Detonator: none

[JensF.]

2:

[JensF.]

The only difference of the model 15 (below) is the fragmentation structure of the body:

[JensF.]

3:

[JensF.]

Schematics and different variations of Model 13...

[JensF.]

...and Model 15:

[JensF.]

Some of the "Grabenpanzer" (trench/body armor) have on the upper right side a small hook attached. This was used to activate the Kugelhandgranaten because it was difficult to pull the wire of the fuse by hand and a flame came out of it which could hurt the throwers hand. Sometimes they used the strap of the bread bag for this (as described in Ernst Jüngers "In Stahlgewittern" I think).

[JensF.]

A picture of a Grabenpanzer with the hook for the Kugelhandgranaten. Maybe this part was also used for a better aiming with the Gewehr 98 because the metal strip seems to be vaulted a little bit.

[JensF.]

I have never seen an old picture of the Kugelhandgranate in use. Maybe someone here has got one?

[Frosch]

Terrific

Hi Jens,

Excellent thread. I really appreciate the explanation and details. For some time now, I have been looking for an example of these eggs, but I always seem to miss the auctions on MilWeb.

Do you have any information on a metal and leather holder (Tragvorrichtung?) for these grenades?

Which reference books can you recommend for German ordnance?

Gruss,

/David

[JensF.]

Hi David,

the problem is, in comparison to WWII stuff, that there are nearly no books about the WWI ornandce. But I can recommend the following books:

Jäger, Herbert: German Artillery of World War One (Ramsbury, 2001)


Fleischer, Wolfgang: Deutsche Minen- und Granatwerfer 1914-1945 (Wölfersheim, 1994) Podzun-Pallas Verlag


Deutsche Handgranaten 1914-1945 (Wölfersheim, 1996) Podzun-Pallas Verlag


There are also different sources on the internet about this stuff.

Here you can find images of the pannier which was used to transport and also to activate these handgrenades:
http://www.adrax.com/watsons/pannier.htm

[Theodor]

Great thread! Very informative! Recently got a 1915 Kugelgranate. What about the carriers for grenades, are they easy to find or scarce?

[ynot]

Hello Jens,

A brilliant thread, great information and photos. The same goes for the link to the site you posted.

Do you know anything about aerial bombs? I asked a question on one in the Brit. & Commonwealth section the other day.

All the best

Tony

[Bob Lembke]

Long Fuze

Hello Jens;

A grenade question, please. In the attack on Fort Vaux at Verdun in 1916 the German Pioniere got on the roof, and then hung down two kinds of ordinance to drive the French away from their firing slits below them, or kill them. One was the Brandroehr, which fired a jet of fire and smoke about 2 m. long out one end; the other was to hang a bag or sack of grenades on a rope in front of the firing slot to blow it in. One source mentioned the fuse method in a general way, saying it was simple and had been about a while. Any idea what it was? A special grenade with a minute fuse, perhaps?

Incidentally, my father (Garde=Reserve=Pionier=Regiment (Flammenwerfer), who also fought with the Sturm=Bataillon Nr. 5 (Rohr) in a Flammenwerfer Zug detailed to it, described to me in the 1950's how they had special stick grenades with 3 1/2 second fuzes in WK I. A brave Frenchie would watch you pull the fuze and toss, he would count toward the 6 1/2 second normal fuze time and catch the grenade to toss it in your face. The special assault grenades proved an awkward surprise.

Only about a year ago, I read about these Sturm=Granaten somewhere.

Bob Lembke

[JensF.]

To question one I think they used a long wire or something like this to activate the stick grenades in the bag.

For question two I also read somewere that there were also stick grenades with a 3 1/2 sec. fuse instead of the normal 5 1/2 sec. delay but I can't remember were I read it.