World War II Database

Country of Origin	United Kingdom
Type	Grenade
Diameter	75.000 mm
Length	150.000 mm
Weight	1.020 kg
Explosive Charge	0.45kg ammonal or TNT

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseThe "Grenade, Hand, Anti-tank, No. 75" design was also commonly known by its unofficial name of "Hawkins" grenade. The design was one of several whose collective mission was to quickly remedy the British Army and the Home Guard's lack of anti-tank weaponry, much of which were lost in France. These grenades entered production in 1942 after it was concluded that they were a little more effective than their predecessors created in late 1940 and in 1941. They were rectangular in shape, each filled with 0.45 kilograms of ammonal or TNT. They could be used either as a grenade in the traditional sense, or as a mine. When a thrown No. 75 grenade hit its target or when a vehicle drove over one, the action cracked the interior chemical igniter, which would detonate the explosive content. They were at times used as demolition charges as well. Production of these weapons ceased after a relatively short time, but finished examples remained in use with British, Canadian, and American military forces until 1955. The British No. 75 design directly influenced the American M7 anti-tank mine design.

Source: Wikipedia ww2dbase

Last Major Revision: Jul 2018

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