Exploding rat
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
Exploding rats were a weapon developed by the British army in World War II for use against Germany. Rat carcasses were filled with plastic explosive, with the idea that that when the rats were shovelled along with coal into boilers, they would explode, causing significant damage. However, the first shipment of carcasses was intercepted by the Germans, and the plan was dropped. The Germans exhibited the rats at top military schools, and conducted searches for further exploding rats.
In a humorous moment in The Guns of Navarone a German soldier gingerly removes a rat from a huge cannon. It emits smoke and a distinct squeaky noise, and the soldier breathes a sigh of relief.
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References
- British Special Operations Executive (SOE): Tools and Gadgets Gallery (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/war/wwtwo/soe_gallery_05.shtml). BBC. Retrieved June 7, 2005.
