Beach Group Equipment. What are they?

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by Trux, Nov 8, 2018.

  1. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Telephone D.

    telephone D.jpg
    For speech and Morse.

    Cable laying apparatus.
    This impressive description is of a simple frame with a carrying handle to take a small cable drum. The most common was the Equipment, Cable Laying, Mk2. I have not found a photo of this but there are many photos of similar US and German apparatus.

    cable layer.JPG
    US Army cable laying apparatus.

    If anyone has a picture of the British apparatus please share it. (See Post 25).

    Mike

    I have changed the photo of the telephone. Trackfrower hinted that I had posted Telephone L instead of Telephone D. Correct now ( I hope).
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2018
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  2. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Signal flags.

    Signal flags.jpg
    No coloured photo has been found but the trade badge shows the essentials.
    The flags were two foot square. Originally it was not intended that both should be used at the same time. The blue flag was for use against a light background and the white with blue horizontal stripe for use against a dark background. Using two flags of this size would be hard work but it seems to have been done on occasion.

    Mike
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2018
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  3. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Handcuffs.

    Original-British-Hiatt-Military-Handcuffs-Military-Police.jpg
    For provosts and regimental police.
    There was more than one make but all virtually indistinguishable from each other.

    Mike
     
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  4. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Some common tools.

    Shovel GS.jpg
    Shovels GS. The left hand one is a Canadian version.

    Pickaxe.jpg
    Pickaxe.

    axe.jpg
    Axe.

    saw.jpg
    Saw in wooden carrying case.

    Ball hammer, wire cutters.jpg
    Ball hammer.
    Wire cutters.
    Adjustable spanner.
    Pliers.

    machete.jpg
    Machete and scabbard.

    Mike.
     
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  5. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    I have received some excellent images from Danny. I post the following.

    4  Apparatus, Cable Laying, No.2.jpg
    A simple wooden frame with sockets to hold the spindle of a small cable drum.

    3 orig and  text.jpg
    Mike.

    Any one else with interesting items is welcome to add them.

    In fact they need not be particularly interesting and you are more than welcome.
     
  6. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Medical pannier.

    pannier.jpg

    pannier open.jpg

    Basically a wicker basket with leather lining and canvas cover. The interior is divided into compartments for medical supplies and equipment including:

    instruments.jpg
    Instruments in a roll and

    tablet tin.jpg
    a tin of tablets.

    Mike
     
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  7. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Stretcher.

    stretcher.jpg
    Open and folded.
    Sturdy wooden sides with shaped carrying handles. Metal rests underneath to keep the stretcher off the ground or fit the runners in ambulances. Canvas bed. Can be carried by two or four men (I suppose by three if desired).

    stretcher 2.jpg
     
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  8. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    'Polish' mine detector Mk3.

    Mine detector No3.jpg

    A simple but effective mine detector, until plastic or wooden mine casings were introduced. 'Polish' in the sense that the original development work was done in Poland. The long handle folds in the middle for carriage, and has a counterweight at the end. A battery was needed to power it and earphones to listen for the 'beeps' indicating' a metal object (not necessarily a mine)

    Mike.
     
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  9. Another misconception of mine (!) shattered. I always thought the name was because it was a dual-purpose equipment: mine detector and floor waxing...
    Seth-Wax.jpg

    Michel
     
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  11. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Michel,

    Post 29. Well done. A fine blend of vintage humour, Gallic wit and Advent levity.

    The mine detector operator in post 30 seems to be rather late. The Carrier already located the mine.

    Mike
     
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  12. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Carpenters tools.

    It is difficult to see any difference between these and ordinary civilian items but they do have the WD arrow and are described as made in Sheffield.

    brace.jpg
    A brace for drilling.

    tenon saw.jpg
    Tenon saw.

    Mike
     
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  13. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Butchers tools.

    cleaver.jpg
    Cleaver. Standard Sheffield design but with WD markings.

    Butchers saw.jpg
    Saw.

    Butchers steel.png
    Butchers steel for sharpening knives.

    Mike
     
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  14. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Grenades and explosives.

    IMG_20181114_0005 (3).jpg

    1. Grenade No 75. Hawkins anti tank mine.
    2. Clam mine. A magnetic anti vehicle mine.
    3. Smoke grenade.
    4. Firing device for mines and explosives.
    5. Fuse crimping tool.
    6. Grenade No 82. Gammon bomb containing a 2lb charge of plastic explosive. Automatically primed in flight by means of a lead weighted cord. Detonates on impact.
    7. Grenade No 36. Mills fragmentation grenade. Every ones notion of a WW2 hand grenade.
    8. Grenade No 69. A short lived design with a plastic body and a smaller lethal range.
    9. Grenade No 73. Incendiary grenade.
    10 Tube of primary explosive. Used to detonate larger charges.

    Mike.
     
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  15. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Fuses.
    IMG_20181114_0005 (2).jpg

    12. A tin of detonators.
    14. Delayed action ignition pencils. Supplied in tins of six. Various delay times were available.
    15. Bickford cord fuse and detonator cap. A waterproof cord with a thin tube of flammable material in the centre. This burns at a known rate. Recommended means of lighting the fuse was a lighted cigarette, matches being difficult to use in wind and rain. At the far end a detonator is set off when the flame reaches it and this in turn sets off the explosive charge.

    Mike

    The two above posts are photos from the excellent 'Histoire and Collections' series 'From D Day to VE Day.
     
    Last edited: Jan 4, 2019
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  16. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    More grenades.

    Grenade No 77.jpg
    Grenade No77
    Phosphorous smoke grenade.

    No65 Grenade.jpg

    Grenade No65.
    A naval signal grenade. Fired from the signal pistol shown.

    And the Detonator No10.
    No10 detonator.jpg
    Six detonators in a tin.
    These are delayed action detonators. The metal case of the 'pencil' detonator contains a glass phial of acid, a thin wire and a plunger attached to a spring. To activate the device the end of the pencil containing the acid phial is crushed using the fuse crimping tool shown in Post 34 above. The acid eats into the wire and when the wire is eaten through it parts, releasing the plunger.

    Mike
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2019
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  17. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Signal Pistol.

    signal pistol.jpg

    flare pistol holder.jpg
    Signal pistol holster.

    signal cartridge.jpg
    Signal cartridges. The designation L3A2 is post war. Note that the designation on the three cartridge tin does not match the cartridges.

    Mike
     
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  18. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    PIAT ammunition.

    PiatCarrier1-L.jpg

    A metal container for six PIAT rounds. Rounds were packed in individual cardboard cases, taped together in three round packs for carrying in action.

    The PIAT round was launched, rather than fired, from a spigot mortar. A spring loaded striker in the launcher ignited a small charge in the tail of the round. This charge propelled the round to its target. The nose of the round contained a shaped charge of explosive which detonated on contact and directed a jet of (very) hot gas onto the target surface. This drilled a small hole which allowed the hot gases to enter the target vehicle and cause considerable damage.

    Drawbacks of the PIAT (Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank) were the short range, effectively about a hundred yards, and the unreliability of the round. Rounds were not very accurate and only detonated 75% of the time.

    Mike
     
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  19. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    2" Mortar ammunition.

    2in rounds.jpg
    2" mortar bombs. All have protective caps on the nose to prevent accidental activation of the impact fuse. The lower round has the propellant charge removed and displayed. I think these are: top training round, middle high explosive, bottom smoke.

    2in carrier.jpg

    Carrier for 2" mortar bombs.

    Mike.
     
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  20. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    How does Aixman do that? I am almost certain he 'liked' the post before I even posted it!

    Mike
     

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