WWII Era Home Guard Grenade Cache Uncovered

Wick, United Kingdom A crew digging a hole for a new flag pole near the foundation of a building uncovered a cache of unexpended WWII era hand grenades. The police were called to respond to the find. The police identified the grenades as 1940s era No 76 incendiary grenades. The No. 76 grenades consisted of a glass bottle with a metal stopper, filled with benzene, water, white phosphorous, and a dissolved rubber-based compound to make the liquid sticky.

No. 76 grenades were issued to the Home Guard during WWII as a defensive weapon. They were designed to be thrown at the enemy in the event of an attack. Upon hitting a target, the glass bottle would break causing the liquid inside to cover the target. The phosphorus in the liquid would cause it to ignite when exposed to air thereby creating an incendiary effect.

Police identified approximately 2 dozen No. 76 grenades in the cache so far. The area has been secured until A Royal Navy EOD unit can respond to safely remove and dispose of the hazards.