A flaming grenade or a flaming bomb[1], or shell and flame[2] is an emblem which represents a stylized old style of hand grenade ("bomb"), with a rising flame.

It is a traditional symbol of ordnance missions, e.g.,[3] e.g., artillery , grenadier, or fusilier regiments.[4] For example, the "flaming bomb' has become the official insignia of the United States Army Ordnance Corps in 1832, becoming the oldest U.S. army military insignia. It was also adopted by British Grenadier Guards, British Royal Engineers, Royal Horse Artillery, and by the Air Force Munitions Specialists,[5] as well as in other countries long before the United States.[6]

Examples

Austria

German: flammende granate. With some previous history from Habsburg Monarchy, since 1921 the grenade was a symbol of Austrian Bundesgendarmerie. It was merged into Bundespolizei in 2005 and the grenade was phased out in 2007. In 2008 the grenade has become an insignia of Austrian military patrol and military police,[7] which has become known as simply Military Police since 2019.[8]

France

French: "grenade enflammée", "bombe enflammée". Used by Gendarmerie nationale, with history tracing backh to the 17th century, when it was the symbol of grenadiers. Later it was adopted by other corps: infantry and artillery, etc.[9][10]

Italy

Italian: "granata fiammeggiante", for Carabinieri, Bersaglieri. A peculiarity of Bersaglieri's grenade is that its flame shoots sideways to the right, rather than upwards, representing the traditional running march of the Bersaglieri.[11]

Sweden

Swedish: flammande granat. It is used in artillery. The "grenade with wings" (granat med vingar) is used by aviation. In the past it was also used by grenadier regiments.[12]

References

  1. ^ p.292
  2. ^ U.S. Army / U.S. Army Heraldry / Branch Insignia / Branch Insignia / Ordnance Corps / Branch Insignia
  3. ^ p. 292
  4. ^ p. 163
  5. ^ p. 17: "the origins of the 'flaming bomb', El Tigre News, vol.44, no. 12, 2002
  6. ^ p. 85
  7. ^ Gregor Wenda, Rückkehr der flammenden Granate, ÖFFENTLICHE SICHERHEIT 11-12/08
  8. ^ MILITÄRPOLIZEI DER SPEZIALVERBAND
  9. ^ La grenade : l’emblème flamboyant de la Gendarmerie
  10. ^ LA GRENADE, EMBLÈME DE LA GENDARMERIE
  11. ^ granata fiammeggiante sovrapposta a cornetta e a due carabine incrociate
  12. ^ Arméns förbandstecken och truppslagstecken

See also