WAR WORLD ONE/BOMBS

By : Aaron Morgan

SHELLS/MORTAR

A 120 mm High Explosive mortar shell (inert) fitted with M734 proximity fuze

A mortar is relatively simple and easy to operate. A modern mortar consists of a tube into which gunners drop a shell. A firing pin at the base of the tube detonates the propellant and fires the shell. The tube is generally set at between 45 and 85 degrees angle to the ground, with the higher angle giving shorter firing distances.

A mortar can also be a launcher for fireworks, a hand-held or vehicle-mounted projector for smoke shells or flares, or a large grenade launcher.

BOMBS

Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability to wage war rather than destroying its land or naval forces. It is a systematically organized and executed attack from the air which can utilize strategic bombers, long- or medium-range missiles, or nuclear-armed fighter-bomber aircraft to attack targets deemed vital to an enemy's war-making capacity.

Strategic bombing was first used in World War I, though it was not understood in its present form. The first strategic bombing mission of the war was likely the dropping of five bombs on the GareL'Est train station in Paris

PARACHUTE STAR SHELLS

A "star shell" was a form of artillery used a means of illuminating the battlefield during the hours of darkness, and also as a means of passing signals.When fired the star shell, which contained a fuse, would burst while at a given height igniting a magnesium flare which burned while the shell, which also contained a parachute, gradually fell to earth.When used in this way the flare would serve to light up a wide portion of the battlefield - and in particular the spread of No Man's Land which separated the two sets of enemy front-line trenches - thus identifying any enemy patrol or wiring activity caught within the flare's boundaries.

The history of mortars

Mortars have existed for hundreds of years, first seeing use in siege warfare. Coehorn-type mortars of approximately 180 pounds (82 kg) weight were used by both sides during the American Civil War. The Germans also developed a series of trench mortars during World War I, though these were rifled. mortar’s were used in order to cause massive destructions in militaries. A mortar is a short, stumpy tube designed to fire a projectile at a steep angle.

Mallet's Mortar with 36 inch shells which would have contained 480lb (217kg) of gunpowder.

blue grievances as old as the olive tree

reads the text on the body fished out of the river in the blue light before dawn the line decipherable body still a cypher but the word is out

in the beginning the word, the riddle, the clue poetic self-effacing small tattoo waits for a face and a name to replace the black figureson the anonymous blank sheet

as the man at the morgue numbers the nameless in dingy dimlit rooms nothing is white anymore even at the height of noon

dark corners untouched by thin sunlight, streaming through bulletholes in metal doors through the eye of a needle silver needle retracing new blue greivances not snakes, tigerheads or proud flags no bold these colours don't run

but first name, last name, tribal name diligently picked out by a fine arts graduate, raw tattoist tattoing over and over a rollcall of death

blue grievances a thin woman with corrugated skin

and her own blue-green tattoo on her chin and calm dark eyes brought in her great grand-daughter last of the line, moon faced, red chipped polish on bitten nails plaited hair and red ribbons orphaned and cast back two generations

there's a waiting list: the dull-eyed, drained of imagination prozac zombie nation the bitter, counting off their dead on accusing fingers the rosary-clicking crowd agree to anything on the one condition positive identification

few cared to recalla past to be dredged for that identifying markfor the word, shape, patternthat would tell their storyonce they were facelessbut the younger generation wears pragmaticism like a new coat get a tattoo in case you die make it look good in case you live

no guarantees, the self-made tattoist says he turns his palms up, they are even as the scales of justice, blue 18 and 81 filling in the lines no promises, no refunds

they discuss what part of the body is most likely to survive unscathed

and the neighbours children wear themselves to school everyday name, D.O.B, address, denomination, (digitally altered to protect their identity)

Websites

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.comhttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QHcmskg8Qck/RyaT-eHrg4I/AAAAAAAAABM/xJbdkKnWM2Q/s320/mortar.jpghttp://web.ukonline.co.uk/stephen.johnson/arms/star2.jpghttp://weblog.sinteur.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/01020132600600.jpg