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Newbie - German World War 1 Fuze found buried in Oxfordshire?

Hi all,


I came across your forum after my eight year old son and his friend made a 'find' while digging in some nearby woods in Stoke Row, Oxfordshire and wondered if anyone from this forum could help us identify and confirm the item.


We think the object found (see first photo) is a Dopp Z92 fuze from a German WW1 artillery shell. I attach a photo from another website which looks identical to our item (who I have also tried contacting without any luck):


My son and his friend are very excited about their find and we would really appreciate any assistance you can offer in trying to identify the object.




If I’m correct, I have the following questions:


a. Is this item dangerous to handle? I have read that some of the explosive material can seep into these old detonators? My son is very keen to show off his new find!


b. Any theories as to how it ended up buried in a foot of mud close to a children’s playground in an Oxfordshire village?




Any help would be very much appreciated!


Kind Regards




Alex


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[FONT=&amp][FONT=&amp]Dopp Z 92 fuze.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&amp][FONT=.SFUIText-BoldItalic]Double effect 45 mm time and percussion fuze, without delay, Model 1892[/FONT][/FONT]

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Attachments

  • FUZE.jpg
    FUZE.jpg
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  • DZ92n.jpeg
    DZ92n.jpeg
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A quick update...after a long soak in a salt and vinegar solution...this is now what it looks like. Markings have been revealed which confirms its a Dopp Z 92 fuze from WW1.

The overriding question for me right now is whether to is inert or not. The most plausible explanation for its discovery in Oxfordshire was that the fuze was brought back from Europe and buried here which may suggest it has been fired? The timer is set at '14' - does this suggest that it has been fired? I've read that german fuzes carried their own detonator and charge and as a result it could still be dangerous - can anyone verify this? I am not letting my kids go anywhere near it until I am 100% sure its safe. How would I go about confirming this? Local EOD unit? (There is one based in Didcot 20 mins away.)

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks
Alex

IMG_2441.jpg
 
I don’t know much about fuzes, but there are a few things to consider.
If a shell was bought back from Europe as a souvenir and then someone realised that the fuze was live, they might have buried it to get rid of it.
Old gunpowder, even over 100 years old, ‘can’ still be explosive.
Old percussion caps ‘can’ still explode.
Your fuze had/or maybe still has powder trains, a large powder pellet, and a percussion cap.

The fact you don’t know for sure that it is safe should answer your own question about what to do. Tell EOD.
 
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Thanks Reccetrooper.

Just read this on another website: The WW1 German artillery fuzes family presents several noticeable characteristics :

  • fuzes designed for high explosive shells had to be equipped with a powerful exploder (or 'gaine' - in German 'Zündladung'). Thes gaine were often screwed on the tail of the German fuzes, rather than mounted into the shell like for French ones. This characteristic is making those pieces very dangerous still nowadays, when the exploder is still present.


    Won't be taking any more risks with this. Any suggestions on how do you get in contact with an EOD unit- via the Police?

    Thanks
    Alex




 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks Reccetrooper.

Just read this on another website: The WW1 German artillery fuzes family presents several noticeable characteristics :
  • fuzes designed for high explosive shells had to be equipped with a powerful exploder (or 'gaine' - in German 'Zündladung'). Thes gaine were often screwed on the tail of the German fuzes, rather than mounted into the shell like for French ones. This characteristic is making those pieces very dangerous still nowadays, when the exploder is still present.


    Won't be taking any more risks with this. Any suggestions on how do you get in contact with an EOD unit- via the Police?

    Thanks
    Alex

Yes, contact the Police. Don’t take the fuze into the Police station, just keep it safe away from prying hands.
 
Is the tube sticking out of the base hollow, or does it appear to be filled with anything?

The rectangular hole in the side would also have originally been covered with a thin piece of brass or copper when the fuze was live. The gas pressure from the burning powder train timer blew this off when the fuze was fired.

Obviously still follow the posted advice if there is any doubt as to wether it is safe.
 
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Is the tube sticking out of the base hollow, or does it appear to be filled with anything?

The rectangular hole in the side would also have originally been covered with a thin piece of brass or copper when the fuze was live. The gas pressure from the burning powder train timer blew this off when the fuze was fired.

Obviously still follow the posted advice if there is any doubt as to wether it is safe.


Hi Falcon - thanks for the reply. Looks like the base of the tube is hollow but cant't ell for sure without taking out apart and the large rectangular gas hole on the side looms like it has been 'fired' - please see a couple of more pics below. Suggests to me that it has been fired but would like it to be professionally verified...




 
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