Item 10: General William Holmes diary, 23 August 1914-22 February 1915 - Page 256

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[Page 256]

Lands Office
Herbertshohe,
Jany. 7th 1915.

Acting in accordance with a Garrison Order issued at Herbertshohe, giving me instructions to inspect and destroy a German land mine on the road fro Bitapaka W/T Station to Kabakaul, I proceeded to the place, accompanied by Lieut. Comm. Bracegirdle, R.A.N., Lieut. Marsden, Gunner Young, R.A.N.R., and Seaman Peach R.A.N.R.

The position of the mine was found to be about 150 yards in front of the first trench. The electric wires leading to it were carried underground for fifteen feet. These were followed up until the mine was found in the middle of the road. The charge was found to be packed with dynamite in an iron pipe 4 in. in diam., laid about 4 feet below the crown of the road.

I fired the mine by exploding a small dynamite charge against the end of the pipe. The crater resulting from the explosion was 27 ft. long (in the direction of the road), 15ft. wide at the top, 7 feet deep, and 'V' shaped in section.

(Sgd.) B.T. Goadby. Lieut. R.A.E.

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