Munitionsfunde - Zeugen eines technisierten Krieges

[trajan]

See: http://www.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dffv.de%2F1Weltkrieg%2FMunitionsfunde%2FBild___Stiel.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dffv.de%2F1Weltkrieg%2FMunitionsfunde%2FBlindgaenger.htm&h=451&w=600&tbnid=03Lvu6JZ0A1PnM%3A&zoom=1&docid=kEzRvRPMBCFXHM&ei=iB9gVefYNaqu7gaiy4O4BA&tbm=isch&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=711&page=7&start=131&ndsp=21&ved=0CIYBEK0DMCo4ZA

The title translates roughly as 'Weapons finds - witnesses of a technical / mechanized war', but is basically a spotters guide (in German) - with very strong 'DO NOT TOUCH' warnings - to types of UXO to be seen lying around Verdun. My own impression, though, was that at least a few of these things (apart from the grenades lined to attention and the gas-shell spray-painted as a warning) had been moved to their present position much more recently than the GW period. Scary, nonetheless...

[Ogilwy]

Hi Julian,

It's the same as ever. Most UXO are happy to sit and rot away too nothing providing nothing interferes with them. The European habit of move for later disposal is understood but only by experts and even then it is the last of all options that we use for these type of UXO.

Unfortunately there are forces abroad in the world much more powerful than common sense, the IDIOTS. These creatures roam the world often looking like real people .....but just waiting to let loose their power of moronic self destruction. Unfortunately they get away with it for a number of times then at the most inconvienient and destructive time the other powerful force, the Law of the Sod takes over and the idiot not only hurts themselves but also the innocent that are alway around.

It's a nice site though and I've just passed it to some of our guys too harvest some of the pic's for training!

Rod

[trajan]

Hi Julian,

It's the same as ever. Most UXO are happy to sit and rot away too nothing providing nothing interferes with them. The European habit of move for later disposal is understood but only by experts and even then it is the last of all options that we use for these type of UXO.

Unfortunately there are forces abroad in the world much more powerful than common sense, the IDIOTS. These creatures roam the world often looking like real people .....but just waiting to let loose their power of moronic self destruction. Unfortunately they get away with it for a number of times then at the most inconvienient and destructive time the other powerful force, the Law of the Sod takes over and the idiot not only hurts themselves but also the innocent that are alway around.

It's a nice site though and I've just passed it to some of our guys too harvest some of the pic's for training!

Rod

Too right on the nutters who play around with these things, Rod - and as you indicate, the problem with this type of material is that while getting their own Darwin Award they sometimes take others with them too.... That aside, yes, there did seem to me to be some 'I-Spy' booklet-quality photographs there!

Now, here's a related one for you... The 50 kg. one the Luftwaffe left as a present and that was found in London last week... I noticed that the concrete piling for the site only just missed the blighter (which had come to rest nicely(!?!) with it's fuze on the top)... So, although Off Topic, care to speculate on what if the piling drill had hit the thing?

Julian

PS: double-checked that P.1907 mark yet?

[Ogilwy]

Hi mate,

As long as the fuze was not a time mechanical version then you have to try very hard to get any great problem for a 50! If it was an SD with the hardened steel 'penetrating' nose then it probably would have broken the drill first. However the Luftwaffe need congratulating on nearly stopping Britian has no talent, a fact that all those of us with a brain appreciate!

At least it was not at Twickenham which as we all know is the only stadium that matters!!!

Rod

P.S. Yes the 1907 has a faint Pall Mall under the Wilkinson and I still can see no reason that it is not an honest example! I do however bow to your greater knowledge on the subject, O great God of all things spikey!

[trajan]

Hi mate,

As long as the fuze was not a time mechanical version then you have to try very hard to get any great problem for a 50! If it was an SD with the hardened steel 'penetrating' nose then it probably would have broken the drill first. However the Luftwaffe need congratulating on nearly stopping Britian has no talent, a fact that all those of us with a brain appreciate!

At least it was not at Twickenham which as we all know is the only stadium that matters!!!

Rod

P.S. Yes the 1907 has a faint Pall Mall under the Wilkinson and I still can see no reason that it is not an honest example! I do however bow to your greater knowledge on the subject, O great God of all things spikey!

Thanks for the update - and entirely in agreement with the sentiments re: shows and stadium... And will sort out that PMall one later - busy with exam-grading - but can confirm that it is a good example of an honest example of these (if you get my drift)

[Ogilwy]

Great mate,

I have to go and teach Explosives Publications followed by part of the big Explosive Safety section of the course to a group of un-interested students on a bank holiday where they would rather be anywhere else than here!

Still they still pay me for this sh** and it is 'falling off a log'!!

Rod