Last year I was browsing the stalls at the Overlord show and came across a relic piece of a British Shrapnel mine Mk 2, the lever and striker section. The lever seemed to be in good shape and the brass striker tube was in tact complete with striker and spring. The guy wanted 8 but being a tight git and not wanting to take a chance of the thing crumbling before my very eyes when i got it home, i offered him a fiver, which he refused. In the end i passed it up.
This year at the Overlord show he still had it for sale. I offered him a fiver, thinking he would take it but still wanted 8 for it. I came back the next day but didn't have much money with me after spending most of my dosh at the show and ask for the stall holders card as i said i may consider buying it on line. The guy said 'take it now' and pay me on line and save money on the postage (faith and trust in the Human race). He asked me what the piece was and was quite surprised that it was British as he thought it was American, as it was found in the Raon Le etape vosges mountains area in eastern France occupied by the Americans in November 1944. He did mention that the French Resistance and 2nd SAS were in that area prior to the Americans. So it seems that the Resistance and the SAS had the Mk 2 Shrapnel mine in their inventory of goods and were the likely candidate to leave such a thing in that area.
When i got home the lever assembly cleaned up very well, most probably due to the amount of grease these mines come packed in for water proofing. The safety pin eased out and was in perfect condition with hardly any rust. When removed i was very surprised that the lever was still under tension and the spring and striker in mint condition still greased up. Nearly all the bits apart from the mazak top were in remarkable condition. I have been looking for British shrapnel mines bits for quite a long time at the shows and these bits are the only find i have ever found, it seems a very rare mine to find..
This year at the Overlord show he still had it for sale. I offered him a fiver, thinking he would take it but still wanted 8 for it. I came back the next day but didn't have much money with me after spending most of my dosh at the show and ask for the stall holders card as i said i may consider buying it on line. The guy said 'take it now' and pay me on line and save money on the postage (faith and trust in the Human race). He asked me what the piece was and was quite surprised that it was British as he thought it was American, as it was found in the Raon Le etape vosges mountains area in eastern France occupied by the Americans in November 1944. He did mention that the French Resistance and 2nd SAS were in that area prior to the Americans. So it seems that the Resistance and the SAS had the Mk 2 Shrapnel mine in their inventory of goods and were the likely candidate to leave such a thing in that area.
When i got home the lever assembly cleaned up very well, most probably due to the amount of grease these mines come packed in for water proofing. The safety pin eased out and was in perfect condition with hardly any rust. When removed i was very surprised that the lever was still under tension and the spring and striker in mint condition still greased up. Nearly all the bits apart from the mazak top were in remarkable condition. I have been looking for British shrapnel mines bits for quite a long time at the shows and these bits are the only find i have ever found, it seems a very rare mine to find..
