| Hawkins grenade | |
|---|---|
 Diagram of a Hawkins grenade, British Explosive Ordnance, NAVORD OP 1665, Naval Ordnance Systems Command (1946), p.384 | |
| Type | Anti-tank hand grenade/anti-tank mine |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1942 - 1955[1] |
| Used by | United Kingdom, United States, Canada |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Produced | 1942-? |
| Variants | United States M7 anti-tank mine[2] |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 1.02 kilograms (2.2 lb) |
| Length | 150 millimetres (5.9 in) |
| Width | 75 millimetres (3.0 in) |
| Filling | Ammonal/TNT |
| Filling weight | 0.45 kilograms (0.99 lb) |
Detonation mechanism | Crush igniter |
The Grenade, Hand, Anti-Tank, No. 75, also known as the "Hawkins grenade" was a British anti-tank hand grenade used during World War II. It was one of a number of grenades developed for use by the British Army and Home Guard in the aftermath of the Dunkirk evacuation. The grenade first appeared in 1942, and was designed to be more versatile than previous grenades, such as the No. 73 grenade and the sticky bomb.
It was rectangular in shape, about 150 millimetres (5.9 in) in length and 75 millimetres (3.0 in) in width, and contained approximately 0.45 kilograms (0.99 lb) of explosive. When a vehicle drove over the grenade, it cracked a chemical igniter and leaked acid onto a sensitive chemical, which detonated the explosive. Multiple grenades were often used to destroy tanks or disable their tracks, and the grenade could also be used as a demolition charge. It was used by the British Army and the United States Army, with the former using it until 1955 and the latter also creating their own variant, the M7 anti-tank mine.