And its not just firearms, Ian Hogg's Infantry Weapons of World War II had some "home made" grenades...
The British No.74 Grenade, Hand. AKA the "Sticky Bomb", a simple glass flask filled with 20 ounces of nitroglycerin, the glass covered with a stockinette material that was soaked in bird lime. Just throw and hope for the best!
The No.76 Grenade, Hand or the "Self-Igniting Phosphorus" grenade, filled with a 1 pound mix of phosphorus, benzine, water and a strip of rubber. Just throw, the bottle breaks and flame on!
And don't forget the German "Nipolit" grenades. Nipolit is an explosive that can be machined, i.e. cut, milled, threaded or bored just like plastic. It was waterproof and strong enough to withstand normal wear and tear. The grenade is really just a block of explosive with a fuse (and a throwing handle) attached. Another fine product brought to you be those fun guys at Westfalische Anhaltische Sprengstoff AG!
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The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
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