I came across the following in the "Rommel Papers" in reference to events on the night of 2 September 1942: "The Afrika Korps, part of the Italian armoured divisions and the 90th Light were once more subjected to non-stop pounding by powerful British bomber formations... vast quantities of H.E. and fragmentation bombs, even some LANDMINES, dropped into the territory occupied by my troops... Hundreds of our vehicles were destroyed or damaged."
I suspect the "landmines" may have been "F. 8-lb. Mk II Fragmentation Bombs" (as described in US TM 9-1985-1), which states that this bomb could accept long delay "Tail Fuze No. 880" or antidisturbance Tail Fuzes No. 881 or No. 883. A British "Cluster Projectile 500-lb. No. 7 Mk i" could carry 56 of the "F. 8-lb. Mk II Fragmentation bombs."
Can anyone shed any light on the ordnance used in the incident described by Rommel? Is there any other information on the employment of the "F. 8-lb. Mk II Fragmentation Bomb"?
I suspect the "landmines" may have been "F. 8-lb. Mk II Fragmentation Bombs" (as described in US TM 9-1985-1), which states that this bomb could accept long delay "Tail Fuze No. 880" or antidisturbance Tail Fuzes No. 881 or No. 883. A British "Cluster Projectile 500-lb. No. 7 Mk i" could carry 56 of the "F. 8-lb. Mk II Fragmentation bombs."
Can anyone shed any light on the ordnance used in the incident described by Rommel? Is there any other information on the employment of the "F. 8-lb. Mk II Fragmentation Bomb"?