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Continuing the Whatziss from yesterday...

By The Armorer on July 2, 2006 | | Comments (25)

You guys haven't figured it out yet, but the random darts you're throwing into the underbrush have, in fact, produced a few yelps.

1. WWI
2. German
3. While not body armor, it was worn by German troops.

In service it would have had this orientation on the soldier - if he was right-handed.

What am I?

Or like this, on a left-handed soldier.

And would have been found in the kit of certain members of Stosstruppen units.

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25 Comments

By Locomotive Breath 1901 on July 2, 2006 8:37 AM
All I have to say is hecky-doodle. I found this definiton over at wikipedia and this life-like action figure (click on image to enlarge) but all I can say about that hunk of metal there is hecky-doodle. Perhaps it is a small shield to ward off bayonet thrusts from the enemy. ~Human beings are strange animals.
 
By John of Argghhh! on July 2, 2006 8:43 AM
There is at least *one* site on the internet where a photograph of this gizmo (and a description) can be found. But you guys will have to connect at least one more dot to get there.
 
By Eric Wilner on July 2, 2006 8:47 AM
Another ring puller? This'n would be a hand-free device ('cause ya don't want to use both hands to operate the grenade while driving).
 
By John of Argghhh! on July 2, 2006 8:54 AM
Eric - almost. You are *so* close to the dot that you're almost there. Now twist your thinking just a bit.
 
By Eric Wilner on July 2, 2006 9:24 AM
Hokay... little research here... WWI German grenades used friction igniters, not the pin-releases-lever percussion thingies. Um... Looks like some of the potato mashers had belt clips. Clip the grenade to this thingy while unscrewing the cap and preparing to pull the little twisty wire? (I assume you'd want to unclip the grenade from the whatziss before actually pulling the wire....)
 
By John of Argghhh! on July 2, 2006 9:43 AM
Keep looking Eric. That's a dead end path there, but there's a nearly-parallel one nearby...
 
By Eric Wilner on July 2, 2006 12:51 PM
Lessee, now... I'm assuming that "friction igniter twisty wire puller" would be covered under my initial guess of "ring puller," and I'm not coming up with any reasonable further guesses, so it's time to get unreasonable. Anti-litter device for collecting the twisty wires? Can't go dropping 'em on the battlefield. Clip for restraining the shoulder strap of a laptop computer bag? Having one of those steam-driven laptops flapping around is so inconvenient.... Alsatian insignia holder? UHF radio antenna?
 
By John of Argghhh! on July 2, 2006 1:00 PM
Well, the Steilhandgranaten didn't use wires... they used strings with ceramic balls on the end of them, so no need for a twisty wire puller. Keep looking... yer almost there. Yer in the right neighborhood, but at the wrong address.
 
By Neffi on July 2, 2006 2:26 PM
Support plate for a drum-fed LMG like the MG15? Very useful when assaulting a trench...
 
By John of Argghhh! on July 2, 2006 2:57 PM
Neffi - nope. Eric *almost* has it.
 
By Hunter on July 2, 2006 6:43 PM
Bearing plate for a flame thrower? Strapped to the back and allowing the firer (unlucky SOB) to swing the tanks on and off more easily? Hunter
 
By John of Argghhh! on July 2, 2006 7:27 PM
Nope. Eric is still in the lead.
 
By Old Fat Sailor on July 2, 2006 8:13 PM
Its a carrier for something that an assult trooper would carry but only need intermittantly-wire cutting tool perhaps?
 
By Old Fat Sailor on July 2, 2006 8:14 PM
Its a carrier for something that an assult trooper would carry but only need intermittantly-wire cutting tool perhaps?
 
By fdcol63 on July 2, 2006 9:18 PM
Sounds like Eric is on the right track with the "hands-free" bit, but seems like it's built so that you could use 1 hand to loop a stielhandgranate on this device, pull it over with the handle so that the grenade end is wedged in the "V" welded to the plate, then twist the base of the handle to release the ceramic ball to pull it and arm the fuze. All with one hand, so that the other hand could continue to utilize another weapon simultaneously. Just another WAG, though. LOL
 
By John of Argghhh! on July 2, 2006 9:22 PM
Hmmmm. Let me make this clear. *Forget* the woodhandled grenades with the ceramic balls on pullstrings. That were made of string, not wire. However, don't leave the street, just move down a block or two, so to speak.
 
By Trias on July 2, 2006 9:39 PM
Yes a carrier sounds good. Maybe something so that those grenades talked about in an earlier whatizit that fires off the weapon could be put on the weapon quickly.
 
By Gwedd on July 2, 2006 11:29 PM
Comrades, Well, my vote is for either a wire carrier for a field telephone system, or a carrier for the hose for a flame thrower.... either one's a good guess... Alternately, it could be the backside of a sign... Respects, AW1 Tim
 
By fdcol63 on July 3, 2006 7:06 AM
Still sounds, though, like it has something to do with grenades. Perhaps not the fancy, factory-produced Stielhandgranaten, but the home-made, improvised ones that were held together by wire? I saw several WW1 photos showing Stosstruppen with them.
 
By Were-Kitten on July 3, 2006 7:21 AM
It's hand-held fiddly bit armor. DUH.
 
By John of Argghhh! on July 3, 2006 7:26 AM
Nope. Go looking for WWI german grenades guys - the truth is out there.
 
By fdcol63 on July 3, 2006 7:44 AM
OK ... I think I found something that looks very much like it here: http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/utah/894/militariaforsale/index56egggrenade.htm# "This is an extremely rare plate worn on the breast and used to pul the egg grenade fuses."
 
By John of Argghhh!!! on July 3, 2006 8:46 AM
Bingo! Mine is in much better shape than that one, obviously!
 
By Trias on July 3, 2006 10:16 PM
Bugger me $37 for a bit of rust.
 
By John of Argghhh! on July 4, 2006 8:47 AM
Ah - but it's *rare* German rust from France. Makes *all* the difference in the world. I paid $15 for mine...
 
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