Remains of sea mine cleared by Milieujutter
Employees of the Milieujutter have removed the remains of a sea mine from World War II from the beach. It is probably an English contact mine. The mine was located on the tide line, close to the shelter house the Húske op 'e Hoek. Parts of the mine protruded above the sand and could endanger vehicles. Probably the mine has rusted through and then the package of explosives was flushed out. The remains of wiring and ignition parts were still visible on the inside of the mine. The rubber ring of the lid was also completely intact. The brass protruding horns were still clearly recognizable on the outside. These so-called 'Hertz' horns each contain a glass tube with acid. If such a horn was bent or damaged, the glass would break. Then the acid was released that acted as an electrolyte for a dry cell. It then sent an electrical impulse into the charge, upon which the mine exploded. The mine was definitely not detonated because to much was still intact. It was quite a job to pull the different parts out of the sucking sand, but with combined forces we succeeded. The new tractor from the Milieujutter did a good job with the lifting device at the front of the tractor. Parts of the mine have been donated to the Bunker Museum.
