Hawkins grenade
Encyclopedia
The Grenade, Hand, Anti-tank, No. 75, also known as the Hawkins grenade was a British
anti-tank hand grenade
used during World War II
. It was one of a number of grenades developed for use by the British Army
and Home Guard in the aftermath of the Dunkirk evacuation. The grenade first appeared in 1942, and was designed to be more versatile than previous grenades, such as the Grenade, Hand, Anti-tank No. 73
and the Grenade, Hand, Anti-Tank, No. 74
.
It was rectangular in shape, about 150 millimetres (5.9 in) in length and 75 millimetres (3 in) in width, and contained approximately 0.45 kilogram (0.992080179831949 lb) of explosive. When a vehicle drove over the grenade, it cracked a chemical igniter and leaked acid onto a sensitive chemical, which detonated the explosive. Multiple grenades were often used to destroy tanks or disable their tracks, and the grenade could also be used as a demolition charge. It was used by the British Army and the United States Army
, with the former using it until 1955 and the latter also creating their own variant, the M7 anti-tank mine
.
and the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force
from the port of Dunkirk between 26 May and 4 June 1940, a German invasion of Great Britain
seemed likely. However, the British Army
was not well-equipped to defend the country in such an event; in the weeks after the Dunkirk evacuation it could only field twenty-seven divisions. The Army was particularly short of anti-tank guns, 840 of which had been left behind in France
and only 167 were available in Britain; ammunition was so scarce for the remaining guns that regulations forbade even a single round being used for training purposes.
As a result of these shortcomings, a number of new anti-tank weapons had to be developed to equip the British Army and the Home Guard with the means to repel German armoured vehicles. Many of these were anti-tank hand grenade
s, large numbers of which could be built in a very short space of time and for a low cost. They included the Grenade, Hand, Anti-tank No. 73
, which was little more than a Thermos
-sized bottle filled with TNT, and the Grenade, Hand, Anti-tank No. 74
, also known as the 'Sticky bomb', which was coated with a strong adhesive and 'stuck' to a vehicle. A more versatile grenade appeared in 1942 in the form of the Grenade, Hand, Anti-tank, No. 75, more commonly known as the Hawkins grenade, which was designed so that it could be used in a number of roles.
or TNT. On the top of the grenade was a plate, under which the user would insert a chemical igniter, which would act as the weapon's fuse. When a vehicle drove over the grenade, its weight crushed the plate, which in turn cracked the igniter; this then leaked acid
onto a sensitive chemical which detonated the charge. The grenade was designed so that it could either be thrown at a vehicle like an ordinary anti-tank grenade, or used as an anti-tank mine
. It was also fitted with areas where blasting caps or cordex could be placed, so that it could be used as a demolition charge. When the grenade was used, it was recommended that the user be within a short distance of their target, ideally concealed within a trench; if the target were an armoured vehicle, then the best areas to target were the sides and rear, where the engine compartment was located and armour was generally thinner.
also used the grenade, as well as developing their own variant known as the M7 light anti-tank mine
. When used in an anti-tank role, a number of the grenades could be strung together in a 'daisy chain' at intervals of around two feet, and then placed across a road to damage an armoured vehicle. It was particularly effective at damaging the tracks of a tank. When sufficient grenades were grouped together, they were capable of disabling a medium tank. The Hawkins was also used in other roles, such as breaching walls, and its small size also meant that it could easily be placed into the 'web' of a railway line and, when detonated, destroy a section of track.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
anti-tank hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
used during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was one of a number of grenades developed for use by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and Home Guard in the aftermath of the Dunkirk evacuation. The grenade first appeared in 1942, and was designed to be more versatile than previous grenades, such as the Grenade, Hand, Anti-tank No. 73
No. 73 Grenade
The No. 73 grenade, also known as the Thermos or Woolworth bomb, was a British anti-tank grenade used during the Second World War. It got its nickname from the resemblance to a Thermos flask.-Development:...
and the Grenade, Hand, Anti-Tank, No. 74
Sticky bomb
The Grenade, Hand, Anti-Tank No. 74, commonly known as the sticky bomb, was a British hand grenade designed and produced during the Second World War. The grenade was one of a number of anti-tank weapons developed for use by the British Army and Home Guard as an ad hoc solution to a lack of...
.
It was rectangular in shape, about 150 millimetres (5.9 in) in length and 75 millimetres (3 in) in width, and contained approximately 0.45 kilogram (0.992080179831949 lb) of explosive. When a vehicle drove over the grenade, it cracked a chemical igniter and leaked acid onto a sensitive chemical, which detonated the explosive. Multiple grenades were often used to destroy tanks or disable their tracks, and the grenade could also be used as a demolition charge. It was used by the British Army and the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, with the former using it until 1955 and the latter also creating their own variant, the M7 anti-tank mine
M7 mine
The M7 is a small metal cased U.S. anti-tank blast mine that was used during the Second World War. It was based on the British Hawkins grenade. Approximately 2.5 million were produced before production ceased, and although it has long since been withdrawn from U.S...
.
Development
With the end of the Battle of FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
and the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
from the port of Dunkirk between 26 May and 4 June 1940, a German invasion of Great Britain
Operation Sealion
Operation Sea Lion was Germany's plan to invade the United Kingdom during the Second World War, beginning in 1940. To have had any chance of success, however, the operation would have required air and naval supremacy over the English Channel...
seemed likely. However, the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
was not well-equipped to defend the country in such an event; in the weeks after the Dunkirk evacuation it could only field twenty-seven divisions. The Army was particularly short of anti-tank guns, 840 of which had been left behind in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and only 167 were available in Britain; ammunition was so scarce for the remaining guns that regulations forbade even a single round being used for training purposes.
As a result of these shortcomings, a number of new anti-tank weapons had to be developed to equip the British Army and the Home Guard with the means to repel German armoured vehicles. Many of these were anti-tank hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
s, large numbers of which could be built in a very short space of time and for a low cost. They included the Grenade, Hand, Anti-tank No. 73
No. 73 Grenade
The No. 73 grenade, also known as the Thermos or Woolworth bomb, was a British anti-tank grenade used during the Second World War. It got its nickname from the resemblance to a Thermos flask.-Development:...
, which was little more than a Thermos
Thermos
Thermos may refer to:* A vacuum flask generically known as a "thermos"* a brand of domestic vacuum flask made by Thermos L.L.C.* Thermos , an ancient Greek city, the capital city of the Aetolian League...
-sized bottle filled with TNT, and the Grenade, Hand, Anti-tank No. 74
Sticky bomb
The Grenade, Hand, Anti-Tank No. 74, commonly known as the sticky bomb, was a British hand grenade designed and produced during the Second World War. The grenade was one of a number of anti-tank weapons developed for use by the British Army and Home Guard as an ad hoc solution to a lack of...
, also known as the 'Sticky bomb', which was coated with a strong adhesive and 'stuck' to a vehicle. A more versatile grenade appeared in 1942 in the form of the Grenade, Hand, Anti-tank, No. 75, more commonly known as the Hawkins grenade, which was designed so that it could be used in a number of roles.
Design
The grenade was rectangular in shape and approximately 150 millimetres (5.9 in) in length and 75 millimetres (3 in) in width, and weighed about 1.02 kilograms (2.2 lb). Its explosive content consisted of around 0.45 kilogram (0.992080179831949 lb) of blasting explosive, which was usually either ammonalAmmonal
Ammonal is an explosive made up of ammonium nitrate, trinitrotoluene , and aluminium powder.The ammonium nitrate functions as an oxidizer and aluminium as a power enhancer. To some extent the aluminium makes it more sensitive to detonation...
or TNT. On the top of the grenade was a plate, under which the user would insert a chemical igniter, which would act as the weapon's fuse. When a vehicle drove over the grenade, its weight crushed the plate, which in turn cracked the igniter; this then leaked acid
Acid
An acid is a substance which reacts with a base. Commonly, acids can be identified as tasting sour, reacting with metals such as calcium, and bases like sodium carbonate. Aqueous acids have a pH of less than 7, where an acid of lower pH is typically stronger, and turn blue litmus paper red...
onto a sensitive chemical which detonated the charge. The grenade was designed so that it could either be thrown at a vehicle like an ordinary anti-tank grenade, or used as an anti-tank mine
Anti-tank mine
An anti-tank mine, , is a type of land mine designed to damage or destroy vehicles including tanks and armored fighting vehicles....
. It was also fitted with areas where blasting caps or cordex could be placed, so that it could be used as a demolition charge. When the grenade was used, it was recommended that the user be within a short distance of their target, ideally concealed within a trench; if the target were an armoured vehicle, then the best areas to target were the sides and rear, where the engine compartment was located and armour was generally thinner.
Operational history
Introduced in 1942, the grenade saw service with the British Army until 1955. The United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
also used the grenade, as well as developing their own variant known as the M7 light anti-tank mine
M7 mine
The M7 is a small metal cased U.S. anti-tank blast mine that was used during the Second World War. It was based on the British Hawkins grenade. Approximately 2.5 million were produced before production ceased, and although it has long since been withdrawn from U.S...
. When used in an anti-tank role, a number of the grenades could be strung together in a 'daisy chain' at intervals of around two feet, and then placed across a road to damage an armoured vehicle. It was particularly effective at damaging the tracks of a tank. When sufficient grenades were grouped together, they were capable of disabling a medium tank. The Hawkins was also used in other roles, such as breaching walls, and its small size also meant that it could easily be placed into the 'web' of a railway line and, when detonated, destroy a section of track.
See also
- British anti-invasion preparations of World War IIBritish anti-invasion preparations of World War IIBritish anti-invasion preparations of the Second World War entailed a large-scale division of military and civilian mobilisation in response to the threat of invasion by German armed forces in 1940 and 1941. The British army needed to recover from the defeat of the British Expeditionary Force in...
- Sticky bombSticky bombThe Grenade, Hand, Anti-Tank No. 74, commonly known as the sticky bomb, was a British hand grenade designed and produced during the Second World War. The grenade was one of a number of anti-tank weapons developed for use by the British Army and Home Guard as an ad hoc solution to a lack of...
- No. 73 GrenadeNo. 73 GrenadeThe No. 73 grenade, also known as the Thermos or Woolworth bomb, was a British anti-tank grenade used during the Second World War. It got its nickname from the resemblance to a Thermos flask.-Development:...
External links
- The Home Guard Pocket Manual, by Capt. A. Southworth, M.B.E., p49-50: description, use and diagram.