World War 2, North Africa, Libya, Italian Souvenirs, 1941
Display of souvenired items (ephemera, trophies and munitions) acquired by 6 Division soldiers during 1941 in Italian Libya including Bardia and Tobruk. The souvenirs include an SRCM Mod. 35 "Red Devil" hand grenade anti-personnel mine and the Vaudagna B4 mine
The SRCM Mod. 35 is a hand grenade that was first issued to the Royal Italian Army in 1935, serving through World War II and into the 1980s. Nicknamed "Red Devils" by the British and Australians in 1941–1942 during the North African Campaign after the red colour of the most common type. The SRCM Mod. 35 is an offensive-type hand grenade meaning that it scatters light shrapnel, lethal within a radius of less than the maximum distance of the throw, its purpose being to cover the advance of the thrower without the thrower having to seek cover. During the war the SRCM were also used as anti-personnel mines with appropriate modifications. Mounted without the safety, inside a tubular structure with a protruding pin that worked as striker. When stepped on the striker depressed into the tube hitting the grenade fuze.
The Vaudagna B4 is an Italian WWII era antipersonnel mine, based on the German S-Mine. Unlike the German counterpart, the B4 lacks the propellant charge underneath, so it was generally fixed to a tree or a post rather than being buried in the ground. This is a shrapnel mine and on discharge scatters scrap metal. It is usually fixed above the ground to a tree or post as it has no "jack-in-the-box" effect like the British and German types,
Details
Details
All ordnance and weapons on display or in storage at the Australian army Museum of Western Australia are rendered innocuous meaning they cannot be operated or contain no explosive materials or chemical hazards.
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Other items from Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
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World War 2 Motorcycle Despatch Rider
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World War 2, B2 Suitcase Radio, Special Operations Executive, 1942
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World War 2, Container (robust) version of B2 SOE Radio, 1945
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World War 2, Switchboard Magneto 10 Line
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World War 1, British Style, Signalling Flashlight, 1915
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Post 1945, Wireless Set No 31, Mk 1, 1950
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Carved Badge - Royal Australian Corps of Signals
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World War 1, Model of London B2 Bus in use as Pigeon Loft, 1917
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World War 2, No 19 Mk2 Wireless
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World War 2, Motorcycle Despatch Rider Model, 1944
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Post 1945, Australian Field telephone, Set K Mk 2, 1962
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Pre 1914, Postmaster-General Wall Phone, 1920s
