POOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol, 4 1 MINES AND BOOBYTRAPS SAPPER! SAPPER: a military specialist who lays, detects and disarms mines. The following is a series of lectures by a WW II British train- ing officer with an expertise in mines. They were hand-written and unsigned. Ordinarily, I would have passed them over but the hand- drawn illustrations were so pre- cise and beautiful I knew the au- thor had a more than dutiful know- ledge of his subject. As I waded through his stylized handwriting I knew I had discov ered a genius. He gives an over view of the craft which lends mach beauty and majesty to possibly the most horrible segment of modern warfare. There are gaps in the series, due to the fact that there was ob- viously no intent to publish, But the interested reader will gain much insight into both the philo- Sophy and mechanics of this martial art. This insight cannot help but. give a Clearer understanding to ether lesser works in this field. Mines and booby traps have heen of utmost importance but have sel- dom been given the recognition they deserve as one of the most ef- fective adjuncts of anti-personnel warfare, Eighty percent of the U.S. casu- alties in Vietnam were caused by mines and booby traps. The average G.I. never sew a VC but was demora- lized by the knowledge that they were ever-present. Moreover, he knew that no matter how well train- ed and courageous he might be, he was most likely to lose a limb, or his life, to some gadget set out by a non-soldier, or even a child. The Russian G.1.s were likewise demoralized by afghan irregulars to CONTINUED ON PAGE 44 EXPLOSIVES THEORY (OPENING LECTURE) An explosive is a substance, made up up of various nitrates and chemicals, and when cuitably ctinulated, decomposes rapidly from a solid into a gas with the liberation of intenge heat, resuiting in a sudden and intense pressure causing violent disruption of the air and its immediate surroundings. I.E , one slab of TNE expands in the form of gas, in one second, approximately 18,000 times its own size in space. This rate of change, a gas, ie vorked out in ond and is known as the violence figure of the explosive, i.e., rate of change. For instance, TNT is approximately 18. 000 miles per hour. from a solid to meters per sec- ‘THE CLASSIFICATION OF EXPLOSIVES can be divided Into three” groupe. (a) Speed of Reaction (MPS) ()) Recording eo Tes ‘seneitiviey, (c) Servi Classification The speed of reaction can also be divided into three group: (a) Combustion (b) Explosion (c) Detonation Combustion. This is a chemical react ion In which oxygen from the air is em- bodied, usually accompanied by heat and there is always a liberation of gasees, i.e., as in a petrol engine. The vio- lence figure on speed of reaction is up to a third of a meter. Explosion. This is a rapid form of combustion. The heat ia intense and large quantities of gasses are producedPOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. suddenly, causing intense pressure and disruption, i.e., gunpowder, cordite and ballistito, ote, The violence Figure is up to 3,000 meters per second. Both con bustion and explosion can be produced by neans of flash (spark flame), match, etc,, and is mainly the expansion of burning gases, which rapidly requires room to expand and therefore gives a pushing or lifting effect to achieve this object. Detonation. This is the uitra-rapid breaking down of a substance, proceeding through the explosive in the form of a vave, known as the "detonating wave". Detonation creates a cutting and shat— tering effect and depends on continuity. Therefore it will be halted by an air space. In detonation there is complete disintegration of any close object, so rapidiy does it need to expand that it vill cut through a substance or complet— ely destroy it, in preference to moving it. Violence figure: 3,000 meters per second and upwards. Up to 4,000 meters per second - Low Explosive From 4,000 to 8,000 ~ High Explosive From 8,000 and upwards — Very High Explosive explo- According to their sensitivit: aiveb sre divided Into thee grates: (a) Initiators (b) Intermediaries (c) Bulk Expiosives Initiators. An initiator represents a detonator or equivalent, such as ful- ninate of mercury. Internediaries. These are primers for boosting the detonating wave once it has been created, such as any of the sensi- tive explosives vhich can be initiated by detonator direct. (Gelignite or Nob- el's 808). Bulk Explosives. These are nain charge or Fiatings, represeating a bua explosive such as THT or Wet Gun Cotton, etc. These are of the non-sensitive var~ iety, which mst have a primer to initi. ate them, and any of the above intermed- jaries can be used for doing this. It will be noted that all intermediary ex- plosives (sensitive) should also be primed to obtain the best results and power. An example; Gelignite initiated by detenator alone has a violence figure approximately 3-4,000 meters per second, but when primed, will be raised in the region of 8,000 mps. Service Classification. This can be divided asi 4 2 MINES AND BOOBYTRAPS (a) Propeltence (b) High Explosives. (c) Miscellaneous. ; The power of explosives is judged by to standards: (a) The rate of combustion upon det- onation (viotence Figure}e (b) The volume of gas produced in relation to an explosive such as Lyddite (power figure 100). Sensitivity. This is the term used to determine the ease with vhich an explo- sive can be detonated; high sensitivity naturally involves danger. Stability. all explosives, to a cer- tain degree, are unstable, otherwise they vould not explode. Nost explosives used in military services are relatively safe, but under certain conditions some tend'to break down and decompose, reaul- ting in deterioration in efficiency and safety in handling. For instance, Gel ig- nite is affected by heat and cold. obvi- ously, bulk explosives cannot be manu- factured or transported safely if they have a high rate of sensitivity. There- fore, in order to initiate bulk explo- sives, a number of accessories are nec- essary, such as initiators and intermed- jeries. Initiators, First, of combustion or flash (a) safety match, (fuzee match). (b) igniferous or percussion cap (flash cap). (c) ampule or miner's igniter (chenic- ally produced flash). (4) friction igniter (German equivalent to a fuzee match}. (2) electric flash, To prolona and carry the flash, giv- ing a delay, safety fuse is used. (a) fuse, safety. No. 2 MK IT, (biack), Burns unéer water. {b) S.A, Commercial Safety, misc. pack- ing. 24 ft, lengths. {c) Bickford's Blue, Commercial Safety. Burning speed of all three fuses, 2 ft. per minute. Booby traps need no delay, consequen- tly, instantaneous Orange fuse is used and is lighted with a naked flame (but never should be). Burning speed; 90 ft. per second. More on Detonators: types. (1) No. 27 packad 25 to a tin, complete with rectifier. (@ tins to a box). Rectifier: A device for convert ing alternating current to direct current. (2) No. 8 commercial packed 100 per tin (3) No. 33 electric, packed 100 per ~ three mainPOOR MAN'S JAMES BOND Vol. tin, No_24 detonator is a service detona- tor and Consists of a solid drawn-out aluminum tube 1 3/4" x .26" in diameter. To use with safety fuse, the fuse is in- serted into the open end of the detona- tor, which is crimped, attaching both Firmy to each other, The detonator con- sists of .35 grammes A.S.A, (lead azide, lead stypnate and aluminum powder) which is avery sensitive mixture, and which detonates .55 granmes of tetryl. The tetry] has the effect of amplifying the effect and power of the detonating wave set up by the A,S.A, From the open end inwards is a space of 7/8 c. which the fuse fits in, then comes the A.S.A mi ture and lastly the tetry1 ( tetra. nit- xo-methyl analine). Very sensitive, the detonator is sensitive to friction’ and it supercedes the previous type, which was Filles with fulminate of mercury. The commercial equivalent of the No. 27 detonator is the Noi 8 Commercial and in fact, they are one and the same. But the No. & service detonator (now obsolete) is entirely different, being filled with fulminate of mercury and is considerably less powerful than the commercial No. 27. No. 33 Detonator is the standard é1- ectrie detonator and it consists of an electric firing head crimped into the open end of a No. 27 detonator. A neo- 4 « “as, 3 MINES AND BOOBYTRAPS rene plug (rubber) seals the electric firing head in position and prevents moisture fron entering and the electric firing head is a filament terminal of tvyo wires, Lowest current fire is 8 amps and a 4.5 volt hellicon 1amp is normally used. Electric Fuse No, 31 is an indepen— dent firing head suppiied for use in Conjunction vith 2 No. 27 or No. & det- onator, by insertion in the end which normally receives the safety fuse. 1€ ie painted brown and one end is closed with a Cork disc secured by shellac and be- tween the cork disc and the filament is 4 small amount of guncotton. This is ig- nited by electricity and in turn ignites the A,S,A. which detonates the tetryl. Commercial No. 8 submarine electric detonator ie Gquivalont to tho comers cial No. 33, the detonating end (really 2 No, 8 A.S.A.) is exactly the same di~ mension as a No. 27 service detonator and can be used with a 1 oz. C.E. or D.G.3. primer. It is alse aluminum in color. The filament is sealed in the detonator by adhesive tape, vhich ren- ders it waterproof. Intermediaries. Primers are used to boost the detonating wave set up by the detonation and is a large amaunt of less sensitive explosive. Two main types Rigen ie .8, _Commedeum mam, DET