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Authentic WW2 "Mills Bomb" Hand Grenade Lighter Conversion For The 1947 South African Royal Tour.
A very rare, possibly one-of-a-kind table lighter converted from an authentic WW2 "Mills Bomb" hand grenade as a presentation for the 1947 South African Royal Tour. A neat bit of engineering with the metal lever depressed to flip open the lighter mechanism, which appears to be unused. Bears a metal plaque inscribed "ROYAL TOUR, SOUTH AFRICA, 1947" with the royal crown. Please see images above for more detail.
The Mills Bomb, officially the British No. 5 Hand Grenade and later designated the No.36M, was a series of widely used, early fragmentation grenades designed by William Mills in 1915 for the British Army, which adopted it as its standard hand grenade. It is recognizable by its distinctive grooved, cast-iron body, a central striker held by a lever, and a safety pin. When thrown, the fuse ignites, and the body fragments into pieces upon explosion, a key feature that contributed to its widespread and enduring use through the World Wars and beyond.
The 1947 South Africa Royal Tour involved King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth, and Princess Margaret traveling through the Union of South Africa and other Southern African territories. The royal family arrived by battleship HMS Vanguard on February 17, 1947, and undertook a three-month journey primarily by a specially commissioned "White Train". This visit, the first of a reigning British monarch to Southern Africa, was a significant event following the Second World War, serving as a gesture of thanks for support during the war and for consolidating ties as the British Empire transitioned into the Commonwealth.
Height : 11cm
Diameter (base plate) : 6.5cm
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