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erected, to look like a Japanese post. The Commando men were to attack it by unorthodox methods. The function of the mock defenders was to touch off electric wires, leading to 4 oz. sticks of gelignite buried in various places round the fort, to simulate the burst of trench mortar shells. The distinguished visitors were lined up and, while their attention was directed to the explosions and smoke round the fort, a charge of 50 lbs. of dynamite, which had been lashed to a tree somewhat to the rear of the exalted party, was set off with a most colossal bang. The tree, cut in half, fell across the road, the distinguished visitors all ducked, and the troops unanimously voted the party a great success.
We had graduated as experts in demolition. The subject is quite fascinating; I never pass a bridge now without making a mental calculation of where best it could be cut, how much explosive would be required, and in what way it should be attached to the structure. The details will bore most soldiers, but may be of sufficient interest to the uninitiated. In order to blow a thing up, besides the explosive, you need a detonator, a piece of safety fuse - unless you are using electricity - and a match or other form of igniter, of which there are a number. The safety fuse burns at the rate of half a foot in thirty seconds. The length required depends on how far you must remove yourself from the explosion and that depends on the amount of explosive, and the type of material you are cutting. Having cut your fuse to the correct length, you insert one end gently into the detonator; you then bore a hole in the explosive with a pencil or other non-metal implement, insert the detonator in the hole, light the fuse and retire. We were taught not to run away, but to walk away; it is better for morale.
The explosives themselves vary. The pound slab of guncotton, though very effective is going out of use because, being rigid, it is difficult to attach. One explosive, 808, comes in small cartridges of 4 or 8 oz., wrapped in waxed paper, and is gelatinous, but too stiff to mould easily. It contains a high proportion of nitro-glycerine, which gives one a very severe headache after handling. The effect is brought about by absorption through the skin of the fingers, and can be avoided by wearing rubber gloves: I have, however, never seen rubber gloves issued for the purpose. Constant exposure to the stuff builds up immunity. Some explosives, incidentally, such as 808, in addition to a detonator, require a primer to send them off. These are made of dry guncotton, shaped like a large cork, with a ready prepared hole in the middle to receive the detonator. You tie on the primer somewhere towards the middle of your charge.
143
erected, to look like a Japanese post. The Commando men were to attack it by unorthodox methods. The function of the mock defenders was to touch off electric wires, leading to 4 oz. sticks of gelignite buried in various places round the fort, to simulate the burst of trench mortar shells. The distinguished visitors were lined up and, while their attention was directed to the explosions and smoke round the fort, a charge of 50 lbs. of dynamite, which had been lashed to a tree somewhat to the rear of the exalted party, was set off with a most colossal bang. The tree, cut in half, fell across the road, the distinguished visitors all ducked, and the troops unanimously voted the party a great success.
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We had graduated as experts in demolition. The subject is quite fascinating; I never pass a bridge now without making a mental calculation of where best it could be cut, how much explosive would be required, and in what way it should be attached to the structure. The details will bore most soldiers, but may be of sufficient interest to the uninitiated. In order to blow a thing up, besides the explosive, you need a detonator, a piece of safety fuse - unless you are using electricity - and a match or other form of igniter, of which there are a number. The safety fuse burns at the rate of half a foot in thirty seconds. The length required depends on how far you must remove yourself from the explosion and that depends on the amount of explosive, and the type of material you are cutting. Having cut your fuse to the correct length, you insert one end gently into the detonator; you then bore a hole in the explosive with a pencil or other non-metal implement, insert the detonator in the hole, light the fuse and retire. We were taught not to run away, but to walk away; it is better for morale.
The explosives themselves vary. The pound slab of guncotton, though very effective is going out of use because, being rigid, it is difficult to attach. One explosive, 808, comes in small cartridges of 4 or 8 oz., wrapped in waxed paper, and is gelatinous, but too stiff to mould wasily. It contains a high proportion of nitro-glycerine, which gives one a very severe headache after handling. The effect is brought about by absorption through the skin of the fingers, and can be avoided by wearing rubber gloves: I have, however, never seen rubber gloves issued for the purpose. Constant exposure to the stuff builds up immunity. Some explosives, incidentally, such as 808, in addition to a detonator, require a primer to send them off. These are made of dry guncotton, shaped like a large cork, with a ready prepared hole in the middle to receive the detonator. You tie on the primer somewhere towards the middle of your charge.
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