man.Anoldtraditioninhisfamily.Butallthathadgedwiththewar.HejoinedaSikhregimentandwasshippedtoEngland.AfterthefirstmonthsinLondonhehadvolunteeredhimselfintoaunitofehathadbeeodealwithdelayed-aandunex-plodedbombs.Thewordfromonhighinwasnaive:“UnexplodedbombsaresideredtheresponsibilityoftheHomeOffice,whreedthattheyshouldbecollectedbyA.R.P.wardensandpoliddeliveredtovedumps,wheremembersofthearmedforceswillinduecoursedetohem.”ItwasnotuntilthattheWarOfficetookoverresponsibilityforbombdisposal,andthen,inturn,haovertotheRoyalEngiwenty-fivebombdisposalunitsweresetup.Theylackedteicalequipmentandhadintheirpossessiononlyhammers,chiselsandroad-mendingtools.Therewerenospecialists.

    Abombisabinationofthefollowingparts:

    Atainerorbombcase.

    .Afuze.

    .Aninitiatingcharge,aine.

    .Amainchargeofhighexplosive.

    .Superstrualfittings—fins,liftinglugs,ks,etc.

    EightyperbsdroppedbyairplanesoverBritaihin-walled,general-purposebombs.Theyusuallyrangedfromahundredpoundstoathousand.A,ooo-poundbombwascalleda“Hermann”oran“Esau.”A,ooo-poundbombwascalleda“Satan.”Singh,afterlongdaysoftraining,wouldfallasleepwithdiagramsandchartsstillinhishands.Halfdreamieredthemazeofaderalongsidethepicricadthegaihedensersuntilhereachedthefuzedeepwithinthemainbody.Thenhewassuddenlyawake.

    Whenabombhitatarget,theresistancecausedatremblertoactivateandigheflashpelletinthefuze.Theminuteexplosionwouldleapintothegaine,causihritewaxtodetohissetoffthepicricacid,whiturncausedthemainfillingofTN