The article in your September 11 edition says it was a WW2 grenade and it was disposed of in a controlled explosion.

The markings stamped on the casing would show the year of manufacture with the broad arrow and/or the letters WD or even the crown.

If the date was 1940 or earlier this grenade could have been issued to a civilian in December 1940 for their use before, during or after the expected German invasion in the winter of 1940-41.

At this time there was a covert operation nationwide where the military would issue grenades to civilians when enemy invading forces were likely to reach their part of the country and the under equipped British Home Army would have to withdraw northwards.

The grenades could be used as necessary – to destroy property and personal belongings, to deny them to the enemy, or used as a final act of escape!

In December 1940 the codeword 'Cromwell' was flashed to the military in the southern counties to signify that the German invasion (Operation Sealion) was about to be launched.

Mr Pegg's relatives, living in Reigate at the time, probably obtained the grenade quite legitimately.

Here in Matlock in 1940-41 stocks of grenades were held ready for issue, especially by the Army Intelligence School located at Smedley's Hydro (County Hall).

In this respect I enclose a copy of part of a manual used by the school in 1940 to train its personnel and dedicated agents who would be left behind when the expected German invasion swept north along the A6.

This instruction was composed by a Capt. Malcolm Muggeridge who was on the Intelligence staff at the time.

He became very well known post war as a radio and TV personality and he was also the editor of 'Punch' for many years.

If the grenade was dated later than 1941 it was probably obtained by other means, although the invasion threat remained a varying possibility until autumn 1944.

The issue of grenades to civilians may seen abstruse today, but in 1940-41 the situation was far more serious and desperate than the majority of the population realised.

Peter Attwater
Bull Lane
Matlock