Home Guard Improvised Incendiary Weapon

On the 14th May 1940, the British Government announced the formation of the Local Defence Volunteers (later the Home Guard). But with few weapons available to equip the new militia force some units improvised!
A Hampshire Home Guard unit appear to have improvised a remarkable and innovative incendiary weapon. With little information available lets see what we can learn from the remarkable colour archival footage.
Be sure to check out our accompanying article for this video here -
armourersbench.com/2021/05/23...
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Footage courtesy of the Wessex Film and Sound Archive via the BFI - player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/w...

[@TheArmourersBench]

Thanks for watching guys, check out the accompanying blog here: armourersbench.com/2021/05/23/home-guard-improvised-incendiary-weapon/

[@Disanthrophobia]

This system gives a new meaning to "hammer fired".

[@zoiders]

They could be adapted from life boat maroons or line throwing rockets. They had a fair bit of poke and would carry a petrol bomb a useful distance, more importantly they were available.

[@TheArmourersBench]

Would that explain the hammer and the object flying backwards? I'm not familiar with those line throwing rockets. I do know they harvested gunpowder from fireworks for many of the early Home Guard improvised mortars though.

[@twobellz]

Actually, you could be onto something there they do look similar to a very basic lifeboat maroon. But why cut/manufacturer only half a barrel and why use wood at all around incendiary devices…..limited wartime resources?

[@zoiders]

@@TheArmourersBench I would guess pinfire black powder shot gun blanks explain the hammer as they were used in bird scarers and line throwers - meaning they were available.

[@bettongmi4340]

Jones-Wise Projector? It fits the description, designed by Home Guard officers in the later half of 1940, it's a hand held hammer initiated, percussion fired cartridge using the barrel as a recoiling counter mass, fired from a trough, and aimed by a rifle-shaped bar.

[@TheArmourersBench]

I have just looked it up and it appears David Lister is the only person to have written about it and I think you're right it certainly does fit the description he gives. Absolutely amazing if so. The mention of the 32nd Hants Battalion also puts it in the right geographical area too. Thanks for bringing that to my attention!

[@canadaisdecent1635]

@@TheArmourersBench i remember seeing something like this in a book. Used to guard airfields in Britain

[@christophersilsby7829]

I seen something like this in a book on weapons in the 20th century, in that was a metal tube that shot a glass canister. Look for weapons made after Dunkirk, when, odd, and weird weapons were brought forward and some were even made for the home guard to use.

[@brucermarino]

Fascinating. Thanks!

[@TheArmourersBench]

Thanks for watching!

[@joemorganeatmyshortschannel]

very cool stuff i love stuff like this

[@RememberTheRegs]

I believe the Smith Gun was issued much later than 1941 with it being issued in 1942. Also overlooked is the issue of both the Blacker Bombard and Smith Gun to RAF Airfield defence garrisons, which was a key role that today is often attributed to the Home Guard but was actually the responsibility of the RAF, and the later RAF Regiment. The Blacker Bombard was also issued relatively widely to the Regular and Territorial Armies of the Home Forces, in particular for coastal defence and the defence of Nodal Points. Another interesting aspect of incendiary weapons are those issued to the Regular and Territorial Army. This goes overlooked today despite the professional armies being at the forefront of Home Defence from the outbreak of war in 1939 until much later in 1943/44. I've come across some really interesting stats and plans for the issuing and production of improvised incendiary bombs/grenades which were issued to the Home Forces troops of Northern Command.

[@RichardGoth]

Is this a simpler version of the Northover Projector using #76 (SIP) grenades?

[@TheArmourersBench]

Definitely the same goal but a different delivery system.

[@Stray03]

Could it be a way to launch the no.76 grenade, sort of like the northover projector?

[@TheArmourersBench]

Yeah, I think it is definitely something akin to the 76 (if not a 76), seems to be ignition on impact.

[@ChrisB.C.]

"Gee, I sure would like to set those people on fire over there, but I'm way too far away to get the job done. If only I had something that would throw flame on them." -George Carlin.

[@ptonpc]

It looks to me a as if they are using the same idea as a Davis Gun, except in this case, instead of a mass being thrown out the back, it is the barrel? As an aside, I remember seeing on TV in the late 90's a homeguard film about sticky bombs. In it a gentleman wearing a suit and hat, trots up to what looks like an old light tank, slaps the sticky bomb on, then retires (walking not running). Once he gets to safety, you get a shot of the target tank vanishing in a cloud of smoke followed by a rain of parts that go on for a loooong time. I wonder if you have ever seen it?

[@mattrika4874]

Good video! I think the film at 1:51 is reversed - unless there were SMLEs with left side bolt actions.

[@TheArmourersBench]

Haha you're right! Thank you for watching

[@tech9auto223]

The home guard even laid pipe of shore of any likely landing points that would have pumped fuel into the water making the surface a inferno before even getting a shore then every farm etc would adopt the castle doctrine with interlocking fields of fire with your neighbors the Nazis wouldn't have had it easy and can you imagine reaching Hadrians wall and having to deal with the Scottish haha

[@fishook96]

Wonder how likely it is to find someone from the home guard of that era in Wessex still

[@TheArmourersBench]

Can't be many of the chaps left now!

[@snowgorilla9789]

Malitia with no gear No problem

[@hamm6035]

An American, citizen or soldier is a devastating force. Educated and pissed is a deadly combo.

[@DickHolman]

Where are the Americans in this vid?

[@zoiders]

They are British. They were also in many cases survivors of the great war so they knew a bit more about warfare and killing than your average US Citizen.

[@louisbecker5941]

Although it us unlikely that any of the individuals in THIS particular video were Americans, there was a contingent of U.S. Citizens living in London that formed the '1st American Squadron of the Home Guard' beginning on June 1, 1940, and were commanded by General Wade H. Hayes.