Cannon Balls

[macwilkin]

I remember reading one time of two soldiers killed at a military base in the South during the First World War when the CW-era case shot they used as andirons in the fireplace exploded.

Of course, this is an almost regular occurance in Europe, with all of the unexploded ordinance lying around from the World Wars.

T.

[MacWage]

I remember that being especially bad in Berlin, based on the sheer volume dropped during WW2.

In the US, we are extra neglectful, because we are so unaware and unused to unexploded ordinance. Most here in the south would just see a Civil War or Revolutionary war/American War as just a round rock on the ground and wack it with a shovel or pick to dislodge and move it. They would NEVER expect that it might blow up. Most forget that there was ever any wars fought around here (though several armies marched right by where I live now or used to live. Just within a mile of me was the road between the fort at Ninty Six, South Carolina and Charlotte/King's Mountain. One of the local claims to fame is the turning back of Ferguson's reinforcements that should have helped him at King's Mountain. I've heard it claimed that it was his delay waiting for these very troops that led him to delay on King's Mountain and get trapped there. The Revolution is not one of my best areas of knowledge (the State of Georgia largely ignors the whole war part, because they surrendered so quickly), so someone may want to correct me if I'm wrong on Ferguson.

I'll pray for that man and his friends and family.