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was a roughly 100 mines designed during the World
War Two in the European Theater of Operations alone.
The most advanced and deadly of these mines were
of German origin. Here are a few different mines
used by the Nazi Germany in the defense of it occupied
territories. |
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GERMAN
ANTI-TANK TOPFMINE A
This entirely nonmetallic mine is 13 in. in diameter,
5 in. high and has a total weight of 20 Ibs. including
12.5 Ibs. of explosive. It is black in color and
consists of a booster plug assembly, igniter and
body made of paper, sawdust and tar.
The
mine operates under a pressure of about 330 Ibs.
which shears the pressure plate along its groove,
crushes the igniter and fires the charge. This
mine cannot be detected by electrical mine detectors.
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GERMAN
"S" MINE 35
This Anti-Personnel mine is the most widely
known and most deadly of all. It is about 6
in. high and 4 in. in diameter, usually fitted
with the 3-pronged "S" Mine igniter
35. The mine is buried in the ground with Just
the prongs of the igniter above ground.
When stepped on, the igniter sets off a booster
charge which pops the mine, out of its metal
case about four feet in the air where it explodes,
scattering 350 steel balls in all directions,
deadly up to at least 100 yards. It can be fitted
with the ZZ 42 or ZZ 35 igniter with a trip
wire, or can take all 3 types at the same time,
using a 3-way adapter. It can also be laid with
electrical igniters, as many as 18, planted
in the ground around the mine.
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Booby
traps were already common as far back as World
War One, and weapons technology had advanced far
enough to make it very difficult to detect.
The
kind of details included in the leaflet on the
right here warn front line GIs about common booby
traps used in a variety of different manners.
Cautions
had to be taken as the Allies advanced into Nazi
occupied territory where German troops had time
to set up trip wires and explosives.
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| Although
the primary role of the was to set up communication
lines for the European Theater of Operations, their
secondary function was to disarm landmines and other
booby traps . |
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Training
was given in England on the 11 March 1944. The
train gave my father a certificate of Proficiency
qualified to perform the duties of
Bomb reconnaissance officer and instructor.
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My
Father grinning over an unearthed German antitank
mine.
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GERMAN
L. P. Z. MINE (LIGHT PANZERMINE)
This Antitank mine measures about 11 inches in
diameter, 2.25 inches high, weighs 9 pounds with
5 pounds of TUT and is painted dark gray. There
is a centrally-located safety screw, covered by
a metal cap fastened to the cover by two bayonet
lugs. There are five push type igniters bolted
inside the nine, located by the five large nuts
in the cover. The bottom, charge and cover are
held together by three bolts located by the three
small nuts on the cover. Each igniter ia connected
to the central detonator well by a brass flash
tube.
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PRESSURE-RELEASE
DEVICE (ENTLASTUNGZUNDER 44)
This
device consists of a thin shelled, round steel
body, 5 in. in diameter and 1.73 in. high, housing
a simple clockwork mechanism and 1/2 lb. charge.
It is designed to be laid under mines but could
also be used as a very effective antipersonnel
line for booby-trapping houses.
On
the top of the device is a small, round pressure
plate, centrally located, connected by a spring
to a hinged arm holding the spring-loaded striker
back. A winding post sticks up above the top on
one aide of the device.
Once
this device is armed under an object it cannot
be disarmed or neutralized.
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Additional
illustrations for supplied to engineers
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