Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-01
Man Traps.

Man Traps.
BY CAPT. H. h. G. PELLARD.
WHEN the German evacuates a po-
sition in his own time he spends
hours of hard work preparing man
traps. -.
Land mines and similar recognized
devices of war are allowable and are
used by all nations. but the German
specializes in dishonorable strata
gems, and takes particular joy in
setting concealed man traps in quar-
tiers which will be occupied by civil
1ans. He is careful. also. to arrange
the timing mechanism SO that the ex-
plosion may occur months after he
has left. ...
1t was through one Of these Internal
machines that party of French dep
uties visiting. a recaptured town were
blown up weeks after the place had
been reoccupied. The machine used
showed high degree of misplaced in
genuity. Wires supporting a firing
weight were passed through a vessel
full ,of acid, which slowly ate into
them until the wire was thin enough
70 break. thus releasing the mechan-
Such an apparatus might remain UNI
detected. bricked up in q cellar alcove.
for many weeks. It could not be set
for any particular time. but could be
relied upon to go Off at some far dis
tant date. a.
These rather complicated mechan-.
isms require a good deal Of time to
nix and have been used only in special
cases. preferably in public or historic
buildings of some Importance.
me greater danger comes from the
out BOBBY traps artfully prepared to.
entrap the unwary soldier. Those may
take all sorts Of shapes, from a helmet
arranged with grenade inside which
lifted to cases marked ' .ammunition i"
or supplies" fitted with a firing
mechanism which detonates heavy
loa3 Of explosives when the lid is
Field glasses. pistols and even
razors are tastefuliy displayed at the
doors of dugouts. II an unwary man
lifts one he finds 1t entangled in a
loop OF string, strap or a length Of
telephone wire; The slightest pull and
The deep underground chambers and
dugouts OF an abandoned German line
are favorite places for the setting of
regular man traps: Men exploring in
the dark labyrinths may touch a trip
wire; and explosions occur which blow
In the entrances and block up the
whole underground system.
,a In order e to cope with these dangers.
all about the handling and mechan-
Ism Of these devices arc usually the
nrat 10 enter any suspected dugouts.
The traps all depend in one way or
antansfo upon the firing mechanism Or
charge. When once this has been re-
moved the bulk Of the charge is rem
dered harmless and can DO taken away
at leisure.
The SAME methods are used for deal
iny, with unexploded land mines or
bridges prepared for demolition, but
not blown UP owing to the failure Of
the Iuses or too rapid an advance by
the pursuing troops. In these the line
1ully uncovered until the decorators
arc found, and once these are removed
the cases OF explosive can be dug up
without undue danger.
trap is the German trick Of poisoning
tirement. Mineral poisons, such as
arsenic or lead salts, and even sheep
dipping mixtures OF agricultural
h tstaes used 1b TOR spraying vines or po
SHAN seNA AhOaI frequently
used. This water poisoning is, Of
course, a direct contravention of the
laws Of civilized warfare. but the Ger
mans are no longer regarded as a civ
expected and prepared for. Before
any well is declared safe for the allied
so!diery 1t Is most carefully tested for
poisons. both metallic and organic, BY
special field companies Of water-test-
ing, engineers. who follow up the at
taclking troops for this particular pur-
pose.
In. actual practice the number of
casualties from either man traps, land
mines or poisoned wells is negligible,
nor is the speed OF assault in any way
lessened by the threat Of hidden dam
gers.
Copyright, 1881
e.