Explosives

33 - Carnival, & Explosives.

It went with a bang.                    

  

    Then we got into making small explosions largely out of sodium-chlorate weed-killer.  What we were doing then would be rated as being tantamount to terrorist activity in this day and age.  Amongst our ‘gang’ was one genious, come nutter, who we shall call Mike; one who dabbled in chemistry, and decided that he could extract glycerine from cough sweets.  I was visiting our neighbouring billet in which he resided, when he was busy mixing up a chemical concoction of some sort contained in the lid of a tin of boot polish tin.  Suddenly there was a vivid orange flash, and a mighty bang; the result being that he had to be whisked off to the emergency medical centre.  Fortunately at the time of the explosion I was at the other end of that billet.  Mike was later seen with a heavily bandaged forearm, and no eyebrows.

      Any way, someone had the bright idea to place an army type drinks-bottle packed full of explosives, which was then surrounded with concrete, in a small leather suitcase.  From the mouth of the bottle a copper capillary pipe was run to the outside of the case near the handle; a Jetex fuse was inserted into this tube.   Jetex Fuel was used in model jet-engines of the time.  So we had created this secret espionage bomb, so what should we do with it?   Between us we came up with the idea of dropping the bomb into the very muddy River Parrett from the bridge in the centre of town, just to add to the festival on fireworks night; with the idea that the ‘bomb’s explosion would through up a mountain of soft mud to cover anybody who happened to be on the bridge .  On the relative dark evening five of us were travelling in a Morris 12 the seven miles to Bridgwater.   I had the case on my lap, Pine who was sitting next to me, stuck his lighter, and applied it to the fuse of the case.   There were shouts, and probably screams, and the car skidded to a halt have onto the grass berm; the doors flew open and the inmates dived out of the car in a frantic bid to put as much distance between them and the ‘bomb’.   I made a slightly exit as I was sat in the middle of the three back seats to and I had to get the case off my lap and out of my way before I could make my escape.  After waiting for some while, and hearing no bang, we decided that the fuse had not been ignited.  We got back in the car, and Pine was told in no uncertain terms, not to be so stupid again, and we continued on our journey.

     We found our way to the bridge over the River Parett, I held the case on the bridge parapet whilst Pine lit the fuse, then I dropped the case into the river.  It was dark, and no one would have noticed what we had done, and there was plenty of festive activity to obscure the noise.

     We moved a way from the centre of the bridge, and waited, and we waited; nothing happened.  In the end we decided that the fuse had been extinguished under water and, disappointed. We drifted away.   We missed seeing the delayed explosion, but we heard the bang all right.  So it had worked after all.

     There were various amusement stalls, boxing rings, etc.   There was this caravan, which attracted us lads with its sign:   “See the naked sleeping princess”.  Wow!   I, for one, had never seen a naked lady before.  We paid our money and mounted some steps and entered the caravan.  I can remember the dim pink lighting and various curtains, and we came upon this young woman in a glass ‘coffin’, she was laying quietly on her back, naked except for a whisp of tulle discreetly draped across her groin.  Horrified I saw Pine lift the lid, and he lent over and spoke to the girl¨ “Oi girl! D’you wanna fag?”

                                                       “I’m not allowed to speak to anybody”, she whispered: “You’ll get me the sack”.

     After a last lingering look we left her, slightly reluctantly, in peace.