Trip Wire switch?

[Millsman]

Hope the experts out there can help.

The items in the photo were in a batch of Mills Bomb bits. I think the larger one is a trip wire/ booby trap switch. It is marked :

III
W.S
11-38
\I/

With it was the smaller item that is marked:

ZD SCHN
ANZ29

on the other side is a small 'bat' symbol with
100
RR 37 - The first R is reversed.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks - John

 

[gijunkman]

Not an expert but I believe the RR marked piece is German from WWII. As to what type of firing device I'm not sure.

 

[Jolly Green]

Top one looks like: http://www.lexpev.nl/fuzesandigniters/germany/zuendschnuranzuender29.html

 

[sgtlynn]

The bottom item is a Mk. III percussion igniter, designed to light safety fuze in demolitions. Not actually a boobytrap mechanism but it was definitely used as one in the absence of better devices.

 

[Millsman]

Thanks guys. You are spot on with the German igniter. Mine matches the one on e website closely but just is without the cap on the bottom.

SgtLyn - Thanks for that. Could they have been used by SOE?

John

 

[sgtlynn]

I would expect SOE did use them, but they were not a specific SOE store. Anyone doing demolitions could have used them. Army, SOE, Engineers, etc etc.

 

[CampX]

One of those was found at the site of Camp X, I know because I found it.
Camp X was run by the SOE to teach those that were going to preform "Behind the lines" operations during the War.
I also found other types of devices as well as a llot of bloow raillway track and machinery.

Dean