Barry Gillis at CWM arms vault 1985-08-29 - Holding Charlton automatic rifle conversion. Invented by a New Zealander, this appears to be an Australian made variant. An Italian Villa-Perosa sub-machine gun in on the desk. This was the World's FIRST SMG. — Barry Gillis at CWM arms vault 1985-08-29 – Holding Charlton automatic rifle conversion. Invented by a New Zealander, this appears to be an Australian made variant. An Italian Villa-Perosa sub-machine gun in on the desk. This was the World’s FIRST SMG.

My good friend, the late Barry Gillis of Burnaby, British Columbia, assembled one of the World’s foremost grenade collections and he donated this collection to the Canadian War Museum. There were about 500 grenades and about a dozen grenade launching rifles.

Before I shipped the collection to Ottawa, I photographed every item. Not everyone can get into the storage facilities at the CWM so this enables the World to virtually access the collection.

Man standing holding a grenade launcher. — The late Barry Gillis with an American Vietnam War period 40 mm M79 Grenade Launcher, called a “Blooper” by some.

Here are some photographs that Barry took of his bedroom. Being a bachelor and a passionate collector, he slept on the couch.

THIS WEB SITE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

THERE ARE OVER 500 ITEMS TO LIST AND MOST HAVE MULTIPLE IMAGES.

SCROLL TO THE RIGHT FOR MORE INFORMATION ON EACH GRENADE

CMS CATALOGUE NUMBER	PHOTO	COUNTRY	MODEL	DATE	MARKINGS	COMMENTS
CMS0001A		UK	No. 32 MK. II	1917	SIGNAL RIFLE GRENADE NIGHT SIGNAL RIFLE GRENADE COLOURED STARS Loaded by WILDER, BIRMINGHAM	Grenade, .303-in rifle Missing 15" rod for bottom.
CMS0001B		UK	No. 32 MK. II	1917	SIGNAL RIFLE GRENADE NIGHT SIGNAL RIFLE GRENADE COLOURED STARS Loaded by WILDER, BIRMINGHAM	Grenade, .303-in rifle
CMS0002A		UK	No. 34 MK. III	1917	No. 34 Mk. II ???? 1917	1/4 cutaway.
CMS0002B		UK	No. 34 MK. III	1917	No. 34 Mk. II ???? 1917	1/4 cutaway.
CMS0003A		UK	No. 1 MK. II	1915	Red band; Black band
CMS0003B		UK	No. 1 MK. II	1915
CMS0003C		UK	No. 1 MK. II	1915
CMS0003D	OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA	UK	No. 1 MK. II	1915
CMS0003E	CMS0003E	UK	No. 1 MK. II	1915
CMS0003F		UK	No. 1 MK. II	1915
CMS0003G		UK	No. 1 MK. II	1915
CMS0003H		UK	No. 1 MK. II	1915
CMS0003J		UK	No. 1 MK. II	1915
CMS0003K		UK	No. 1 MK. II	1915
CMS0003L		UK	No. 1 MK. II	1915
CMS0004A		UK	No. 2 MK. II	1914-1918 period	THE (?) COTTON POWDER CO. LTD. HALES PATENT LONDON 8 M/M
CMS0004B		UK	No. 2 MK. II	1914-1918 period
CMS0004C		UK	No. 2 MK. II	1914-1918 period
CMS0004D		UK	No. 2 MK. II	1914-1918 period
CMS0004E		UK	No. 2 MK. II	1914-1918 period
CMS0005A	Grenade, Rifle, No. 35 Mk. I British Cut-away	UK	Grenade, Rifle, No. 35 Mk. I Cut-away	1917	Cast "B" on sides.
CMS005B	Grenade, rifle No. 23 Mk. II Cut-away	UK	Grenade, Rifle, No. 35 Mk. I	1917	Cast "B" on sides.
CMS006	Grenade, Rifle, No. 35 Mk. I British	UK	Grenade, Rifle, No. 35 Mk. I	1917
CMS007	No. 19 Mk. I No. 19 Mk. I No. 19 Mk. I No. 19 Mk. I	UK	Grenade, Hand No. 19 Mk. I	1916	W. SUCKLING & SON 1916 (and symbol like RR crossing sign)