SEARCH FOR “DUD” SHELLS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3718, 17 November 1927, Page 2

SEARCH FOR “DUD” SHELLS.

During the last few days Captain Pollard and three N.C.O.’s have been engaged in carefully searching the sandhills at the,, rear of Robinson’s lakes for “dud” shells. Horses were called into service and the search party carried out their programme most thoroughly, traversing many miles of the countryside each day. Their efforts were not unattended by success, a few shells being discovered in a very rusty condition, hut they were carefully gathered and deposited in marked spots for destruction later. Yesterday morning a return visit was made to carry out the final task — that of exploding the shells —by the aid of gun-cotton.

The work of destruction is more elaborate than the layman wopld realise, insulated electric wires being run from a plunger to a manufactured combination of gun-eotton, powder and fulminate of mercury and connected direct per medium of a detonator to a small amount of dry powder which in turn explodes the gun-cotton primer surrounding which is a block of dampened guncotton. The plunger from which the electric wires are run is positioned some distance away and at a point which furnishes the workers with a safety, zone. The plunger has a rachet side and when driven home hard it sets in movement a small wheel in the interior which acts as a generator for the development of the electricity which proceeds by the wiring to the seat of destruction. Although the present search has been attended with success it is intended to make a further tour of inspection after Christmas, when the winds will, no doubt have made further slight alterations in the contour of the country owing to the manner in which the sand drifts.