Troops must know how to neutralize foreign mines and fuzes. Althrough normally a mine field contains only a few activated mines, during a clearing operation it must be assumed that all mines are activated. Furthermore, troops must be familiar with types and location of safeties on mines and fuzes. They must also know how to cut the firing chain of a mine to render the mine harmless.

a. Safeties. Organic safeties are built into practically all mines and fuzes (fig. 15). They are designed to prevent accidental activation.

Figure 15. Types of safeties on different fuzes.

b. Cutting the Firing Chain. A mine is harmless is the firing chain is cut. This is done by cutting any links in the chain, that is, by separating any two of its elements (fig. 16).

Figure 16. Interrupting the firing chain of a mine.

c. Steps in Hand-Neutralizing. The steps in hand neutralizing a buried mine are as fol-lows:

Carefully probe to locate the mine exactly.

Carefully search around and under the mine, locating and neutralizing all secondary fuzes.

Neutralize the mine by making the main fuze safe. Some foreign mines contain fuzes that cannot be made safe in any way. These mines should be neutralized by des-troying them in place with a prepared charge.

Figure 17. Removing a mine by rope from a safe distance of 50 yards.

Handle all mines and fuzes with care at all time.

Use only one man to work on a mine.

Carefully examine the ground around a mine before starting to work on it.

Constantly be on the lookout for booby traps.

Prior to lifting a mine, neutralize all fuzes and cut any slack trip wires.

Never cut a taut wire; never pull a slack one. Look at both ends of a wire before you touch it.

When detonation of a mine in place is objectionable pull the mine clear with 50 yards of rope or signal cable.

Take cover before pulling a mine, and do not come out for at least 10 seconds after pulling it. There may be a delay fuze. Examine the covered position for booby traps before occupying it.

Never use force on an mine or booby trap. If a part cannot be removed without ap-plying an undue amount of force, stop removal.

If a mine or booby trap must be left unlifted, mark the location prominently.

Neutralize antipersonnel mines by replacing all safety pins before lifting them.

When walking in a mined area, keep looking at the ground immediately ahead.

When cutting the wires of an electrical detonator cut them one at a time.

b. Mines can be removed by occupying a defiladed position and pulling them out with a long rope (fig. 17) or signal wire. If no defilade is at hand, a safe pulling distance is at least 50 yards. With this method, always remain in a prone position. Activated mines are nor mally detonated in this manner.

c. Mines can be neutralized by destroying them in place with hand-placed charges. The charges are placed on or beside the mines to be destroyed (fig. 18). The mines them-selve are not handled.

Figure 18. Placement of charge on mines to be destroyed in place.

d. Improvised graphnels can be used to actuate charges fastened to trip wires. The grapnel is thrown out over the field and then pulled back. As it comes back, it trips the wires or cords, setting of the charge.

e. Mechanical and blast methods have been developed to neutralize mines by exploding them. Such mechanical and explosive devices are the scorpion or flail, various pressure-roller devices, the various demolition snakes, bangalore torpedoes, and explosive mats or carpet rolls.

f. In World War II, both the Germans and the Soviets employed artillery to clear gaps through known mine fields. Some countries have experimented with area bombing by air-craft to clear gaps through mine fields.

g. Wooden and cardboard mines that have been buried for long periods are dangerous to remove. Experience has shown that mines composed of wood or cardboard will deterio-rate rapidly under humid or damp-soil conditions. If a wooden mine is subjected to alter-nate periods of dampness and dryness, the mine will undergo serious deformation result-ing in large cracks which will permit the entrance of soil moisture into the explosive chamber. In some wooden and cardboard mine the explosive filler hole is sealed with tar. This tar will develop cracks after continuous exposure. Wooden pressure lids that contain grooves to assist actua-tion will rot in the grooves and will detonate more readily when pressure is applied on the pressure lid with a mine probe. Mine clearing personnel must be cautioned in the use of the mine probe when the mines are known to be in an advanced state of deterioration. The mine probe should be held at the smallest practicable angle to the ground so as to come into contact with the side of the mine instead of the pressure lid. In many cases the only practicable method of mine removal will be the use of demoli-tion charges. Care must be taken to see that all personnel have been evacuated from the area before may demolition charges are detonated. Entire mine fields have been known to explode from sympathetic detonation. Mine fields containing deteriorating woo-den and cardboard mines are particularly susceptible to sympathetic detonation.

h. Metallic mines that have been buried for long periods of time are dangerous to remove. They will rust to such an extent that it becomes almost impossible to detect their loca-tion with the mine detector. In general, mines of metallic construction which use water-proof seals will withstand the action of soil moisture better than wooden or cardboard mines. Eventually, however, the mine body will rust and the explosive will become conta-minated.

i. Some types of fuzes become extremely sensitive when they are exposed to soil mois-ture. These types should be removed by placing demolition charges or using tank rollers and other devices which will permit the removal of the mines without undue exposure of personnel.