Grenade Hand Smoke C3

[Ed Storey]

Robin, like everything associated with militaria, "the devil is in the details." The tins you have are for individual smoke grenades, but for shipment these tins were packed in either a metal or wooden containers and depending on the type of container each would hold a number of grenades of the same colour. Where the details come in is the tins you have may or may not have been used at the same time as the Ferret. The markings on the tins are key to the era in which they were used and you would need to consult with someone who has studied these grenades in more depth then I have to find out more about the markings.

If it helps any, I see that the Ferret had provision for both No. 36 (x6) Fragmentation and No. 80 (x12) White Phosphorus Smoke Grenades. I think this may possibly rule out your nice collection of blue/violet, red, yellow and green marked tins as being applicable to Ferret stowage.

[James P]

Out of curiousity I am wondering if these tins held a early version of the Pains-Wessex HCC1 smoke grenades, later P-W grenades came on a nifty little, two piece drawn, unpainted, aluminum can, tape sealed also. Further question, is how long did the Ferret serve in the CF and maybe different smoke types came through the supply system during the vehicles service life.

[Chris Suslowicz]

I think the cans held the standard No.83 smoke grenade and were intended (mostly) for use by the infantry for marking and signalling purposes. The can would protect the grenade until it was required for use. The design does not appear to have changed much since WW2, it's still a metal can with a cotter-pin retained fly-off handle, though the modern ones appear to be deep-drawn or splash-formed aluminium or plastic moulded casings instead of the old 'food tin' construction with a rolled closure at each end.

There's also a cheaper (I assume) version with a screw-off plastic cap and pull-cord igniter. (I think those are available commercially for distress signals and possibly the paintball fraternity.)

I used to have a (fired) No.83 grenade, the igniter was a .22 rimfire cap (vented at the back) crimped onto a length of Bickford safety fuse. (You could extract this and use it to fire .22 blackpowder blanks as a bird scarer or similar.)

Chris. (G8KGS)

[James P]

Chris S, no doubt you are right.

https://www.warmuseum.ca/collections/artifact/2036198/

https://talesfromthesupplydepot.blog...moke-grenades/

And from Canadiansoldiers (types at bottom)

https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/wea...ndgrenades.htm

[45jim]

These cans are for the British PW smoke grenades. They were regular issue to Recce troops for air signaling and identification of ground troops. A piece of kit we were issued with the M113F Lynx was a pair of smoke grenade bins which were never mounted, it was too much a pain in the ass to install them and then remove them for every kit check. Supposedly the bins were of British manufacture and held three grenades and I was told were originally issued with the Ferrets. I really questioned this as they were the US style "loam/interior green" and not silver. I really thought they were for the original mounted smoke launchers.

When we did get smoke grenades they were just thrown into a convenient bin. We didn't use them often, mostly for work with helicopters.

[Robin Craig]

All great replies from all of you. I am learning more as I read, thank you.

Does anyone know how to email Michael Dorosh?

[Robert Bergeron]

Later evolution used early 80’s till more recently . Very hot , can and did start fires.