Polish mine detector
Encyclopedia
The Mine detector Mark I was a metal detector
for landmines
developed during World War II
in the winter of 1941–1942 by Polish lieutenant Józef Kosacki
.
s on artillery training grounds. The instrument was designed by the AVA Wytwórnia Radiotechniczna
, but its implementation was prevented by the outbreak of the Polish Defensive War
. Following the fall of Poland and the transfer of Polish HQ to France, work restarted on the device, this time intended as a mine detector. Little is known of this stage of construction as the work was stopped by the battle of France
and the need to evacuate the Polish personnel to Great Britain.
There in late 1941 Lieut. Józef Kosacki
devised a final project, based partially on the earlier designs. His discovery was not patented; he gave it as a gift to the British Army. He was given a "thank you" letter from the King for this act. His design was accepted and 500 mine detectors were immediately sent to El Alamein
where they doubled the speed of the British 8th Army. During the war more than 100,000 of this type were produced, together with several hundred thousands of further developments of the mine detector (Mk. II, Mk. III and Mk IV). Detector was used later during the Allied invasion of Sicily
, the Allied invasion of Italy
and the Invasion of Normandy. This type of detectors was used by the British Army until 1995.
An attempt was made to mount a version of the mine detector on a vehicle so that sappers would be less vulnerable. To this end "Lulu" (on a Sherman tank) and subsequently "Bantu" (on a Staghound armoured car) were developed. The detector mechanism was in non-metallic rollers on arms held away from the vehicle. When the roller passed over a mine, or a similar piece of metal, the roller it was under was signalled in the vehicle. Prototypes were built but never tried in combat..
Metal detector
A metal detector is a device which responds to metal that may not be readily apparent.The simplest form of a metal detector consists of an oscillator producing an alternating current that passes through a coil producing an alternating magnetic field...
for landmines
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
developed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the winter of 1941–1942 by Polish lieutenant Józef Kosacki
Józef Kosacki
Józef Stanisław Kosacki was a Polish professor engineer, inventor, and an officer in the Polish Army during World War II. He is best known as the inventor of the Polish mine detector, the first man-portable mine detector, whose basic design has been in use with various armies for over 50...
.
History
In the pre-war period the Department of Artillery of the Ministry of National Defence ordered the construction of a device that could be helpful in locating dudDud
A dud is an ammunition round or explosive that fails to fire or detonate, respectively, on time or on command.Duds are still dangerous and have to be deactivated and disposed of carefully. Poorly designed devices A dud is an ammunition round or explosive that fails to fire or detonate,...
s on artillery training grounds. The instrument was designed by the AVA Wytwórnia Radiotechniczna
AVA Radio Company
The AVA Radio Company was a Polish electronics firm founded in 1929 in Warsaw, Poland. AVA designed and built radio equipment for the Polish General Staff's Cipher Bureau, which was responsible for the radio communications of the General Staff's Oddział II .After the Cipher Bureau's...
, but its implementation was prevented by the outbreak of the Polish Defensive War
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
. Following the fall of Poland and the transfer of Polish HQ to France, work restarted on the device, this time intended as a mine detector. Little is known of this stage of construction as the work was stopped by the battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
and the need to evacuate the Polish personnel to Great Britain.
There in late 1941 Lieut. Józef Kosacki
Józef Kosacki
Józef Stanisław Kosacki was a Polish professor engineer, inventor, and an officer in the Polish Army during World War II. He is best known as the inventor of the Polish mine detector, the first man-portable mine detector, whose basic design has been in use with various armies for over 50...
devised a final project, based partially on the earlier designs. His discovery was not patented; he gave it as a gift to the British Army. He was given a "thank you" letter from the King for this act. His design was accepted and 500 mine detectors were immediately sent to El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
where they doubled the speed of the British 8th Army. During the war more than 100,000 of this type were produced, together with several hundred thousands of further developments of the mine detector (Mk. II, Mk. III and Mk IV). Detector was used later during the Allied invasion of Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
, the Allied invasion of Italy
Allied invasion of Italy
The Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
and the Invasion of Normandy. This type of detectors was used by the British Army until 1995.
An attempt was made to mount a version of the mine detector on a vehicle so that sappers would be less vulnerable. To this end "Lulu" (on a Sherman tank) and subsequently "Bantu" (on a Staghound armoured car) were developed. The detector mechanism was in non-metallic rollers on arms held away from the vehicle. When the roller passed over a mine, or a similar piece of metal, the roller it was under was signalled in the vehicle. Prototypes were built but never tried in combat..
Design
Components
- Detection plate
- Two-part handle with counterweight
- Operating box fixed on the handle
- Amplifier and battery in the carrier bag
- Headphones