Interesting bunch. The BREN gunner seems to be wearing welder's gloves and the guy on the right appears to like wearing moccasins. They look like special forces. The one on the left carries a No4Mk1T (sniper) and the other two guys carry Stens. I wonder what the story is behind this pic.
Picture of the day
- Thread starter jwhc
- Start date
Interesting bunch. The BREN gunner seems to be wearing welder's gloves and the guy on the right appears to like wearing moccasins. They look like special forces. The one on the left carries a No4Mk1T (sniper) and the other two guys carry Stens. I wonder what the story is behind this pic.
If I recall these guys are from the Lincoln and Welland Regiment during the attack on Kapelsche Veer, Netherlands, January 26-31 1945 , In the heavy fighting, the Lincoln and Welland regiment took 183 casualties, including 50 dead in 6 days of fighting
You can also see they had inflatable life belts on top of their webbing as this was an amphibious assault (albeit with small craft).
Great job; they kicked the German paras out and showed them how great the Canucks soldiers were at doing the toughest jobs.
Lest We Forget
Great job; they kicked the German paras out and showed them how great the Canucks soldiers were at doing the toughest jobs.
Lest We Forget
Thanks for that link, that's only one of the amazing war stories that are largely untold. It again reinforces the fact that we owe so much to our vets and all the soldiers that perished in that war.
ipscgraz
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Only a WAG, but the moccasins were probably because the young man wearing them knew that he was going to get wet and kept his issue boots dry until he was on the island.
Talking to a very knowledgeable collector about the garments worn by these Canadians of the Lincoln and Welland Regt and got the following insight. The winter of 1944-45 was especially harsh that taxed 21st Army Group to provide adequate winter clothing. The winter whites and the moccasins are of either Canadian or British manufacture (both countries made essentially the same items) and was just some of the articles being issued along with Denison smocks and windproof over smocks. Footwear was also a huge problem and numerous styles of waterproof boots are seen in period pictures. This clothing problem was not just confined to the 21st Army Group, the US Army had the same problems providing decent cold weather attire during a harsh winter that taxed the supply systems of all.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/685536655383678/
By Peter DeForest
The manufacture of Naval shells is not often talked about
Naval shell casings were typically made in a steel mill and then sent off to another location to be filled with the explosive filler
By WW2 most naval shells had an poured explosive filler, meaning the explosive was a liquid that was poured into the shell cavity and then allowed to harden
During WW2 the RN used mainly “Shellite” and the USN used “Explosive D”, both being a varied mixture of RDX and/or TNT
These pictures were taken at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey in 1943
(Note the escape slides for the workers in the building pictures)
While not all of the shells pictured are naval shells, it gives you an idea of the process
LIFE Magazine Archives - Andreas Feininger Photographer
By Peter DeForest
The manufacture of Naval shells is not often talked about
Naval shell casings were typically made in a steel mill and then sent off to another location to be filled with the explosive filler
By WW2 most naval shells had an poured explosive filler, meaning the explosive was a liquid that was poured into the shell cavity and then allowed to harden
During WW2 the RN used mainly “Shellite” and the USN used “Explosive D”, both being a varied mixture of RDX and/or TNT
These pictures were taken at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey in 1943
(Note the escape slides for the workers in the building pictures)
While not all of the shells pictured are naval shells, it gives you an idea of the process
LIFE Magazine Archives - Andreas Feininger Photographer
Read that, he happened to be in the neighbourhood. I see a lot of concrete block construction here, disintegrates before a lot of pressure is built up, in the event of an explosion.
Grizz
The explosion was at the Lake Denmark Naval Ammunition Depot (which adjoins Picatinny Arsenal) in 1926, if memory serves. I don't recall if General Hatcher mentioned the cause in his book?
God apparently hates Magazines as well as golfers.
http://thevane.gawker.com/july-10-1926-the-day-nature-blew-up-a-town-in-new-jer-1602586498
Grizz
"Lead azide (Pb(N3)2) is an inorganic compound. More so than other azides, Pb(N3)2 is explosive.
It is used in detonators to initiate secondary explosives. In a commercially usable form, it is a white to buff powder.
Explosive characteristics
Lead azide is highly sensitive and usually handled and stored under water in insulated rubber containers. It will explode after a fall of around 150 mm (6 in) or in the presence of a static discharge of 7 millijoules. Its detonation velocity is around 5,180 m/s (17,000 ft/s).[11]
Ammonium acetate and sodium dichromate are used to destroy small quantities of lead azide.[12]
Lead azide has immediate deflagration to detonation transition (DDT), meaning that even small amounts undergo full detonation (after being hit by flame or static electricity).
Lead azide reacts with copper, zinc, cadmium, or alloys containing these metals to form other azides. For example, copper azide is even more explosive and too sensitive to be used commercially.[13]
Lead azide was a component of the six .22 caliber Devastator rounds fired from a Röhm RG-14 revolver by John Hinckley, Jr. in his assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981. The rounds consisted of lead azide centers with lacquer-sealed aluminum tips designed to explode upon impact. A strong probability exists that the bullet which struck White House press secretary James Brady in the head exploded. The remaining bullets that hit people, including the shot that hit President Reagan, did not explode.[14][15]"
Another reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table...ity is the speed,diameter is not large enough.
It is used in detonators to initiate secondary explosives. In a commercially usable form, it is a white to buff powder.
Explosive characteristics
Lead azide is highly sensitive and usually handled and stored under water in insulated rubber containers. It will explode after a fall of around 150 mm (6 in) or in the presence of a static discharge of 7 millijoules. Its detonation velocity is around 5,180 m/s (17,000 ft/s).[11]
Ammonium acetate and sodium dichromate are used to destroy small quantities of lead azide.[12]
Lead azide has immediate deflagration to detonation transition (DDT), meaning that even small amounts undergo full detonation (after being hit by flame or static electricity).
Lead azide reacts with copper, zinc, cadmium, or alloys containing these metals to form other azides. For example, copper azide is even more explosive and too sensitive to be used commercially.[13]
Lead azide was a component of the six .22 caliber Devastator rounds fired from a Röhm RG-14 revolver by John Hinckley, Jr. in his assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981. The rounds consisted of lead azide centers with lacquer-sealed aluminum tips designed to explode upon impact. A strong probability exists that the bullet which struck White House press secretary James Brady in the head exploded. The remaining bullets that hit people, including the shot that hit President Reagan, did not explode.[14][15]"
Another reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table...ity is the speed,diameter is not large enough.
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