What the textbooks don’t tell you about… Hyperprolific gilts – defusing the ticking timebomb, part I

By John Gadd A friend of mine, major Ted Poole, was one of those very brave bomb disposal men who himself made safe many hundreds of mines and over 25 unexploded bombs. Fortunately, due to his skill and experience (plus ‘a bit of luck’, he said), Ted eventually retired and died peacefully in his bed. He told me that towards the end of his career, anti-personnel mines started to be booby-trapped to contain a second fuse which was timed to explode as the initial charge was being made