the most modern french battle tank is named in honor of this world war ii general.

It was during that conflict too that the first tanks were developed and roll across the battlefields of the Western Front. Late in the war, anti-tank rifle grenades were developed.īritish brigade orders issued for the Somme attack on July 1, 1916, stated that the grenade or bombing squads: each non-com would carry 6 mills bombs, 4 rifle grenades and 2 smoke the 2 bayonet men would carry 12 mills bombs and 4 smoke the 2 throwers carried 24 mills and 4 smoke the 2 carriers (reserve throwers) carried 24 mills and 4 smoke and the 2 rifle grenadiers carried 8 mills and 20 rifle grenades for a total of 74 mills bombs, 24 rifle grenades and 14 smoke grenades.Expert Analysis: Meet the Leclerc Tank: The French military is all too often the brunt of a joke – despite the fact that its soldiers were among the true victors in the First World War. They carried high explosives, smoke, signals and messages. Rifle grenades were designed to land head-first, but often failed to do so. The rod was inserted down the barrel of the service rifle and launched with a special blank cartridge.

British development of rifle grenades early in the war was fragmentary. The early British front-made grenades were similar to the French, although few were as exotic as foie gras cans. After eating the delectables they took the cans, loaded them with stones collected from the trenches, shrapnel balls and explosive materials of all sorts, and inserted wick fuses that lasted less than 6 seconds. One report in January 1915 stated that while the soldiers were completely lacking in factory-produced grenades that they were not lacking in ingenuity in fabricating remarkable projectiles made from canned beef, sardines, tuna and foie gras cans.

German stick grenades were also called “potato mashers” again for their shape.Įarly in the war, the French were not prepared for the use and production of grenades.

Soon two types of grenades became standard for the Germans: stick (with the explosive can attached to a wooden handle) and egg (because it resembled an egg). At the start of the war the Germans only trained special infantry troops, or “pioneers,” to use hand grenades.

The most modern french battle tank is named in honor of this world war ii general.