WW1 MILLS No. 5 GRENADE WITH No. 23 BASE AND LAUNCHING BRACKET

The bracket was fitted to the end of a Short Magazine Lee Enfield rifle and held a No23 Grenade which was fitted with a rod screwed into the base plate.
The No 3 Grenade Launcher was adopted to enable the launching of a No 23, or a similar bomb from a Lee Enfield Rifle, its base had a threaded hole into which a rod could be screwed, this was fed down the barrel of the gun after the launching bracket had been mounted. The former was then fired using a blank cartridge.

No5 Grenades had no hole in the base plate, but a No 23 base would fit a No 5 Grenade.
So it follows that many No 5 units can be found with No 23 bases.
The launchers intention was to hold the safety lever in place, after the pin had been removed, until the unit was fired.

For more information see Item A1141

Your comments:

• There is no such thing as a No5 grenade with a No23 base although the bodies may indeed be the same.
  
  The base makes for the grenade, so you have here a No23 MkI grenade. (The No 23 Mk II had a cast iron "key" style base)
  
  It has been convincingly argued that body styles are mere manufacturers variations within the loose parameters of procurement specifications up until the major design changes brought about with the No 23 MkIII. This resembled the No36 in every respect except the base.
  
  The No 36 was primarily distinguished by its capability of being fired from a discharger cup.
  
  Every No23 grenade reworked at Gaillon in France in 1918 was given a discharger cup base and designated No36 (converted).
  .......... concordia.victrix, Epsom, Surrey, 14th of November 2017
  
  
• There was one maker M&Co L who made no5mk1 base plugs which was able to take a rod for rifle launch while the no23mk1 was being developed .
  .......... Darrol Bowlzer, Pinxton Nottinghamshire UK, 29th of September 2015
  
  

A0448