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magnetic hold fast ,basically a magnetic anchor ,when placing limpets by small boat ,use the hold fast to anchor yourself to the target vessel whilst you place the limpet mine using the placing rods
 
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Does anybody knows this box ? yes i know its for Primers, but i want to know which type. Ben
 
Hello Ben is that box for piat bomb primers ?
I didn't get back from stoneleigh till 11.30 at nite. It was me that beeped you on the bay out. Cheers rob
 
Ben,

A bit of anorak stuff:

Formally Holdfast, Magnetic, Mark II (designed about April 1943 by Messrs Wilson and Trent at Station IX with User Trials taking place in December 1943). Production was organised by Station XII . This is a Mark II but there were two earlier versions one with 12 'Alnico' horseshoe magnets (about January 1942) and one with 8 'Alcomax' horshoe magnets (about February 1942) which replaced the Alnico version. The 8 magnet holdfast is usually referred to as the Mark I. Both the 8 and 12 magnet types were designed by Professor Bates and Captain Donald at Station IX and finalised by G Bowman at Station XII. About 4,600 Mark I Holdfasts were made. No production figures for the Mark II.


Rod, Limpet Placing (designed about April 1942 at Station XII by G Bowman). Original nomenclature Limpet Extension Rod. The example shown dates from 1944. As far as I can determine about 7,500 were made during the war.
 
Bonnex,

I'm very surprised that 7,500 rods were made.

I had no idea that limpet mines were such a common weapon.

How many limpet mines were made?
 
glevum said:
Bonnex,

I'm very surprised that 7,500 rods were made.

I had no idea that limpet mines were such a common weapon.

How many limpet mines were made?
Click to expand...

About 35,000 ES6 Rigid Limpets (rectangular box with six magnets) were made by the end of 1944. The 'scale' for Placing Rod was 1 Rod per four Limpets. The placing rod was designed for the Rigid limpet but there were several other limpets produced in the UK during the war:
MD1 Limpets circular types
SOE SB (Sleeping Beauty) limpets for the Motorised Submersible Canoe programme
Admiralty Underwater Swimmer Charge Mark I (used buoyancy ring to hold charge against the target)
Numerous ad-hoc clams and magnetic charges for operations (eg Josephine, Kindle)
Also charges that were fixed to the target by spike or suction cup or nail-gun (there was a special placing rod with firing cable for this contraption).

The OSS also made Rigid Limpets (and clams etc.).
 
Hello I think that tin is actually igniters for no 75 grenades hope this helps :)
 
Ben,

With respect to the 1 cm primers - they were for use in 1lb CE/TNT demolition slabs.

TimG

words.jpg1cm.jpg
 
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