Andy Smith Mine action specialist |
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Mined area Indicators – Other common indicators |
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Sheet 51 Other common indicators
There are very many indicators of fighting having taken place in an area. The picture shows just a few. Some of these items have been shown elsewhere in this training resource. Deminers should be able to identify most items, especially F, J, K,O,Q,S,T and U. A – A large tin, and the same tin opened. It originally contained fuzes. Sealed tins may be attractive, but the public should be aware that they could contain explosive items. B – The wrapping from rifle ammunition with the Russian writing still just visible after several years in the bush. C – A plastic military-issue container with a webbing strap. Parts of explosive items are often issued in plastic containers. Even when discarded, it may still contain dangerous items. D – The metal socket joint from a tent pole – found several years after the army left a camp site in the bush. E – Part of the tail of an RPG-7 grenade, left when the device exploded. Its presence indicates that fighting took place. F – The levers from a variety of hand-grenades, all indicating that fighting took place in the area. G – A plastic box in which a hand-grenade was issued. Its presence indicates that soldiers were at the site. H – The firing pin from a hand grenade. This is similar to other firing pins and could be confused with the pin from a mine. If these pins are found, the area should be avoided. I – A small military-issue plastic box with a spring-clip closure. Parts of explosive items are often issued in plastic containers. Even when discarded, they may contain dangerous things. J – The pins from many MUV fuzes threaded onto a single piece of wire. This indicates that many fuzes were probably armed somewhere nearby. K – The clear plastic arming cap from a MAPS anti-personnel blast mine. This indicates that the mine may have been laid nearby. L – A “spent” ammunition casing. Small or large, these indicate that fighting took place in the area. M – A piece of metal that has been torn and distorted by the force of an explosion. Pieces of shrapnel and battle damaged items are indicators that fighting took place in an area. N – Part of a cardboard storage tube for a 60mm mortar. This indicates that mortars were prepared for use nearby. O – The arming pin from a PMN-2 anti-personnel blast mine. This is an indication that the mine may have been laid nearby. P – A rack of tubes marked “explosive” in which mortar bombs were stored. There may still be mortars in the sealed tubes. This indicates that soldiers were in the area. The item itself should be avoided because its content is unknown. Q – Tripwire and tripwire spools indicate that tripwire devices may have been placed in the area. These could be mines or booby-traps. R – Transit-caps from rocket-propelled grenades. The colour varies and similar caps are used on many explosive items. When the device is prepared for use, the cap is discarded. The presence of the caps indicates that the area was used by soldiers when they prepared for combat. S – The parts of an MUV-2 and MUV-3 fuze that fall away after the arming delay. This indicates that the fuze is very close by. T – The arming pin from an R2M2 anti-personnel blast mine. This is an indication that the mine may have been laid nearby. U – The two different arming pins from the Type 72 and the Type 72a anti-personnel blast mines. This is a clear indication that the mines may have been laid nearby.
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