Yer Lordship,

Remember when we took the old carbide bomb a step further. The regular bomb required a Tate & Lyle syrup can, with a tiny hole in the bottom into which was deposited a lump of carbide followed by a hawking good spit to get the gas flowing. The lid was then hammered on tightly and and a match applied to the hole. This was either followed by a loud explosion or an intense jet of flame.

It must have been around 1940 when " The Soldiers " were making camp and playing war games in our front field but they left behind a considerable length of white fuse. My father had coiled it up and hung it up in the incubator house.

I discovered that you could not douse the flame, once started, even by dunking it in a water barrel. By cutting it up into short lengths it made ideal fuses for a carbide bomb, we had ourselves a HAND GRENADE !

Our first target I regret to say, was the Lindsay's hen house. Sneaking up on the peaceful chickens we unleashed our weapon. The effect was alarming, with chickens squaking and running everywhere.

We ran off shortly afterwards as the Miss Lindsay's came out to see what all the fuss was about.

Fortycoats

Fortycoats,

It's a wonder Hillsborough is still standing after all the bombings!

Lady Downshire it is a good job that you lived at the other end of town,or your Chickens might not have had feathers either.!!

40 Coats I sure do remember the Carbide in the Tate & Lyle Syrup tins. Not a bit of wonder that the ARMY Guys were always looking over their shoulder's.
Thinking that they were being Attacked by the Germans.
All the time it was only a couple of School kids TAKING A HAND OUT OF THEM.

The Miss Lindsey's hens Stopped laying for a while.!!
Did anyone ever fill in all the Holes that we dug.
It would be a good idea to go back & fill them in as I think the War is Long Over. The Lord.