WW2 mines used in Iraq and Afghanistan

[BMG50]

I was looking at the uxo sheet of mines, what to look out for in Iraq and Afghanistan and notice that the WW2 British Mk2 shrapnel mine was on the list. I take it that we sold our old stocks of these mines plus other outdated stocks to these countries many years ago when their regime's were in full swing. Anyone seen other WW2 stock used in modern warfare, apart from the MP44 find in Syria.

 

[EOD]

The use of WWII stuff is not uncommon in regions where budgets are small, supply limited and the users are likely no legit forces.

 

[HAZORD]

Not sure if you have seen the CD's put out by the U.S., Iraq Ordnance ID guide, and Afghanistan Ordnance ID guide. Under mines, they show the USSR wooden AP box mines and the TM-38 AT mine, the U.S. M2 Bounding and M3 Blast AP, and the UK No 3 MK 1 AT and MK II Bounding AP mines. The CDs were produced at least 5 years ago.

 

[Ivashkin]

Under mines, they show the USSR wooden AP box mines and the TM-38 AT mine, /QUOTE]

I think you mean PMD-6 and TM-35, because TM-38 is fake. But it`s ok
can you show pictures from this CD?

 

[TimG]

BMG50,

A lot of ordnance in the middle east was probably sourced from what was 9 B.A.D. (Base Ammunition Depot) at Abu Sultan, Egypt. Following the Suez Canal Crisis of 1956 the British had to depart Egypt. Although substantial quantities of ordnance were deep sea dumped or destroyed, there was still substantial stores left remaining. A civilian company was left caretaking the depot but was soon nationalised by Nasser. Nasser was already in bed with the Soviets and had received his first shipment of arms in January of ’56 (this was a contributing factor to the crisis). The remaining stores soon ‘evaporated’ into the desert and soon began appearing around the middle east.

Regards

TimG

 

[beihan62]

Re WW2 mines,During my time in the RAF Airfield Construction Branch in Adeni in the early 60s,we often went on detachments "up country",during this time one of our flight sergeants lost his life as the result of a mine exploding under the front wheel of the Bedford J type tipper,the mine was found to be from stocks of British anti tank mines that were originally sent to Egypt/North Africa during WW2,the story at the time was that the mine had been laid some considerable time before it went off,and it was purely by chance that the mine functioned under a fairly light vehicle as the road was in regular use by all sorts of vehicles including tracked earthmoving vehicles,on investigation it was found that due to deterioration/age/mishandling/bad storage only about half of the explosive functioned,it was still enough to take the front wheel and tinwork off the front of the truck,unfortunatly some of the debris fataly injured the driver,a flight sergeant,the two passengers,an arab guard and a RAF LAC,were slightly injured,

Don,