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 ON THE 
 
 AUTOMATIC 
 TIME FUSE GRENADE 
 
 MODEL 1916 
 With Appendix 1 
 
 Translated from the French editions of 
 
 August 22, 1916, and March 16, 1917, at 
 
 Headquarters American Expeditionary 
 
 Forces, France 
 
 Reprinted by the 
 
 ARMY WAR COLLEGE 
 
 January, 1918 
 
"~ ] WAR DEPARTMENT 
 "Document No. 731. 
 " ! *&fflc* 'of The Adjutant General 
 
 WAR DEPARTMENT, 
 WASHINGTON, January 14, 1918. 
 
 The following pamphlet, entitled "Notes on the Use of the 
 Automatic Time Fuse Grenade, Model 1916, with Appendix I," 
 is published for the information of all concerned. 
 
 [A. G. O., No. 062.1.] 
 BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR : 
 
 TASKER H. BLISS, 
 
 General, Chief of Staff. 
 OFFICIAL : 
 
 H. P. McCAIN, 
 
 The Adjutant General. 
 
August 22, 1916. 
 FRENCH MINISTRY ''.:; 
 
 OF WAR. ' * 
 
 ARTILLERY. : /;. ; I ! J^ ^ : / 
 
 NOTES ON' 
 THE AUTOMATIC TIME FUSE GRENADE. 
 
 MODEL 1916. 
 I. 
 
 DESCRIPTION. 
 
 The 1916 model automatic grenade (Fi or O F) is composed 
 of 'a grenade body and an automatic fuse-plug, model 1916 B. 
 
 The fuse-plug is a tubular body, in which a slow fuse is 
 placed, and on the inner end of which a detonator is set. 
 
 The head of the plug contains a widened cavity that is 
 closed by an inserted cover. 
 
 Inside this cavity are two primers on either side of the end 
 of the fuse. Between the two primers is a spring shaped like 
 a pair of tongs, the branches of which have a tendency to 
 separate so as to strike simultaneously each primer. A lug 
 that passes through the cover of the firing-plug engages the 
 two branches of the spring and keeps them in place. 
 
 This lug is actuated by a spiral spring placed on the outside 
 of the plug; it is held down by an outside lever that is fastened 
 first to a stud on the plug, and, secondly, by a safety split pin 
 with a ringed head. 
 
 When this safety split pin is withdrawn by pulling it out by 
 its ring, the outside lever is pushed up by the bolt, which is 
 forced up by its spring. 
 
 At that moment the spring striker is freed and hits the 
 primers. Even if one of the primers refuses to act, the other is 
 sufficient to ignite the fuse. The fuse burns during five to 
 seven seconds, then ignites the detonator that explodes the 
 grenade. 
 
 II. 
 
 TRANSPORT OF THE GRENADES. . 
 
 The fuse-plugs are sent to the army parks in cardboard boxes 
 containing 50 plugs. 
 
 At the army parks the plugs are placed on the grenade bodies 
 and the grenades packed in boxes with hinged cover, locks, and 
 handles for carrying. 
 
 3 
 
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The empty boxes are returned to the parks. If these boxes 
 are lacking, the grenades can be wrapped in paper and carried 
 in any box, packed in with sawdust or wood fiber. 
 
 cGfcrr-ying loose t grends in boxes or sacks must be avoided 
 as 'lii^tqli as passibki.< ^The soldiers must carry the grenades in 
 the special boxes 'or in 'the J.9 16 model grenade belts. 
 
 \\ 1 !;[ {Y^ 1 ! } m - 
 
 'THROWING. 
 
 First Take the grenade fully in the right hand, the plug up, 
 the ring turned towards the chest and even with the root of 
 the thumb. (Figure 1.) 
 
 The outside lever is then resting on the palm of the hand, and 
 is easily held tight without effort. 
 
 Second Put the first finger of the left hand in the ring and 
 tear out the safety split pin. (Figure 2.) 
 
 The grenade is thus armed (cocked), and the hand must be 
 kept closed to prevent the outside lever from springing off. 
 
 Third Aim at the target with your left hand at arm's length 
 and throw the grenade as prescribed in the "Instructions on 
 Grenade Combat" of April 7, 1916. (Figure 3.) 
 
 Remarks The grenade must be held as close to the plug as 
 possible, so as to have the outside lever well in hand. Remove 
 the safety split pin only at the time of throwing. After the 
 safety split pin is out, hold the grenade firmly, but without 
 straining; the strength needed to maintain the outside lever is 
 insignificant, but must be continuous from the moment the 
 grenade is "cocked" or "armed." 
 
 It is absolutely forbidden to hold the grenade when lighted, 
 under the pretext that the time of combustion is too long. 
 
 The grenadier will avoid 
 keeping a "cocked" grenade 
 too long in his hand, and, 
 above all, will not walk with 
 one, as the grenade might 
 be inadvertently dropped in 
 stumbling. 
 
 The normal functioning of 
 the grenade is calculated for 
 an elevation of 25 millimeters 
 (1 inch) of the tail of the out- 
 side lever, but it may work 
 exceptionally at a much lower 
 elevation because of the toler- 
 ance allowed in manufacture. 
 This is why it is recommended 
 to hold the hand closed, and 
 not to play the lever up and 
 down to ascertain if it will 
 Figure i. work well. 
 
Figure 2. 
 
The grenadier will soon learn that this grenade is easy to 
 work, and is not dangerous unless it is treated carelessly. If by 
 inadvertence a grenadier should drop a "cocked" grenade, he 
 must keep cool, pick up the grenade, and throw it far away 
 
 ; fcfore iv explores. - 
 
 * *. % .The t m,sitru|tojv 4 y developing the presence of mind of his 
 grenadiers, may avojd a great part of the accidents always to 
 
 I I tfetfar*ejl*<5i5 adcoimt o unskillfulness. 
 
 I '* I Etering * JRe* practice he may, as an example, drop unex- 
 pectedly an unloaded grenade and count out loud from second 
 to second ; the grenade must be picked up, thrown, and all the 
 men be in the dugouts before he reaches the number "five." 
 
 UNEXPLODED GRENADES. 
 
 All unexploded grenades must be considered as dangerous 
 to the same degree as a fired and unexploded shell. Leaving 
 unexploded grenades on the practice grounds must be avoided. 
 
 Because of the length of combustion of the fuse there is no 
 danger in picking up an unexploded grenade as long as one 
 takes the necessary precautions and throws it far away if it 
 should ignite. 
 
 If a body of troops happens to camp on a place where there 
 are unexploded grenades lying about, they must be removed as 
 soon as possible. 
 
 To do this, all the men must take cover while one man pro- 
 ceeds to remove one grenade after another, possibly marking 
 them beforehand by a twig or any other object. 
 
 Usually the failures come from non-ignition of the fuse or 
 from non-ignition of the detonator; sometimes from a mis- 
 placed fuse-plug, and less frequently from unexploded primers. 
 
 When the hole of the lug is not filled with mud, it is easy to> 
 see if the caps have been fired, because in that case the tube is 
 blackened. If so, the grenade is no more dangerous to handle 
 than an ordinary grenade. 
 
 If the sides of the tube are white and shining, on the contrary, 
 then the primers have not been exploded, and in that case the 
 spring striker being in contact with the primers, a shock may 
 be expected to ignite them. As a matter of fact, when a prac- 
 tice grenade, the primers of which have failed to work, is 
 struck against a rock or a hard body, it is possible to break the 
 plug in pieces before the primers will explode, and this is 
 explainable by the small mass of the striker spring. 
 
 Be that as it may, when it is uncertain as to whether the 
 primers have gone off, it is best to carry off the grenades by 
 hand, one at a time, watching them so as to be ready to throw 
 any that might become ignited. 
 
 The unexploded grenades are placed in a pile and exploded by 
 a petard. 
 
 It is advantageous to use unexploded grenades in loading a 
 fougasse. 
 
 6 
 
It is absolutely forbidden to unscrew the firing-plug of a 
 loaded grenade without using the special apparatus made to 
 that effect with an arrangement to protect the operator from 
 fragments. 
 
 If more than six (6) per cent failures are noted, it is best to 
 report the fact, indicating the marks stamped on the fuse-plugs, 
 so that the fabrication service can watch more thoroughl / tlie 
 machine shops whose products are defective', \ \^ t \ 
 
 PRACTICE GRENADES. 
 
 For grenade practice, use can be made of inert grenades, of 
 grenades weighted and supplied with active detonators, or of 
 regular war-loaded grenades. 
 
 To prevent confusion, the following conventions are estab- 
 llished: 
 
 Grenades painted grey are war-loaded grenades. 
 
 Grenades painted white are weighted and supplied with 
 [active fuse-plugs. 
 
 Grenades painted red are provided with inert detonators 
 I (bored through) o without detonators (from condemned 
 'lots"). 
 
 "Lots" of fuse-plugs not satisfying the receiving conditions 
 |:an be used for practice with weighted grenades, but not on 
 [var-loaded grenades. They will be stamped with a cross. 
 
 The firing-plugs that can be taken apart, that are furnished 
 i;o instructors, are provided with inert detonators and bored 
 jhrough to prevent any uncertainty. 
 
 Note. The outside levers and the fragments of tin that remain 
 >n the ground after a grenade practice represent a considerable 
 l-alue (about 25 centimes per grenade), and must be sent to the 
 Uearest artillery establishment when there is time to pick them up. 
 
 
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