6 replies to this topic

[Harry Flashman V.C.]

Hello all

Came across this last month resting on tree branches at Spanbroekmolen Crater it was round the other side of the crater opposite the viewing platform



all the best.  Dazz


 P1030267.JPG   51.13K   2 downloads

[Sommewalker]

Harry Flashman V.C., on 04 May 2012 - 12:47 PM, said:

Hello all

Came across this last month resting on tree branches at Spanbroekmolen Crater it was round the other side of the crater opposite the viewing platform



all the best.  Dazz


P1030267.JPG

No scale but it appears to be a British 4.5 in Howitzer HE shell with one of the 100 series fuzes. - SW

[31543 Ogilwy]

Full agreement with SW (a scale is always useful also).  Nice to see that a live blind shell has been precariously ballanced on something just to make the EOD operators job that bit harder.  

Rod

[TRAJAN]

31543 Ogilwy, on 08 May 2012 - 07:39 AM, said:

...Nice to see that a live blind shell has been precariously ballanced on something just to make the EOD operators job that bit harder...

Nowt like a challenge!

But seriously, as with this one and all the others dumped around the edges of fields, how often do they go off when farmers start re-locating them? I would never go anywhere near such a thing never mind pick the damn thing up to put it somewhere else, but these farmers seem to take it in their stride... Or is there an annual casualty rate / report that we never see mentioned in the UK press???

Trajan

[31543 Ogilwy]

Trajan,

I've actually seen one function, but that was under a tractor in Belgium.  The armoured floor saved the driver but as he said,  it was a brand tractor to replace the one that was blown up the previous month!  I think his first name was Lucky!

I know of a few instances of unintended detonations but usually we only hear about them because someone is hurt or killed.  There were two in the UK press in the last quarter of last year.  In France and Belgium they never seem to make it our press.  I keep upto date through colleagues over there but nowadays it seems to be tampering more than agriculture that causes the problem.  The cottage industry of 'inerting' ammunition for sale is as big as ever and no doubt a spike of incidents will occur the year after next.

Rod

[Harry Flashman V.C.]

I walked right past it at first it was my mate who was walking behind me that saw it
Dazz

[31543 Ogilwy]

Harry Flashman V.C., on 10 May 2012 - 03:14 AM, said:

I walked right past it at first it was my mate who was walking behind me that saw it
Dazz

That's the time for an overload of common sense and quick exit in the opposite direction .

Rod