So, one of Col. Coopers pet peeves was the misappropriation of the term "Shrapnel".
Lt. General Henry Shrapnel of the British Army was the inventor of the artillery shell that bears his name. Contrary to popular use, shrapnel is not the proper term for any type of what is more correctly called 'shell fragments" from other forms of munitions that explode and wound by sharp metal fragments.
The actual "Shrapnel Shell" was essentially a canister fired from artillery that was in essence a flying shotgun shell. When the round was fired, the canister, consisting of a quantity of round balls flew through the air and was timed to open over troop formations by an internal bursting charge that dispersed the balls over a large area. The balls then rained down on troops in the open, intending to cause mass casualties.
The last widespread use of "Shrapnel Shells" in combat of any consequence was WW1. Cooper wrote that in his ROTC days, they expended WW1 surplus Shrapnel Shells in training.
So, now you can be amused when reporters claim combat injuries due to "Shrapnel", when in reality, it's fragments from a grenade, or rocket, or artillery.
The photo below is of a real Shrapnel artillery shell. The bursting charge was place below the disc that is under the shot column. Upon ignition, the disc would act as a piston, pushing the shot column forward, dispersing the balls much the same as a modern shotgun shell.
So that boys and girls is your mini history lesson for today. Now you can call out bad usage of this term...for what it's worth.
Lt. General Henry Shrapnel of the British Army was the inventor of the artillery shell that bears his name. Contrary to popular use, shrapnel is not the proper term for any type of what is more correctly called 'shell fragments" from other forms of munitions that explode and wound by sharp metal fragments.
The actual "Shrapnel Shell" was essentially a canister fired from artillery that was in essence a flying shotgun shell. When the round was fired, the canister, consisting of a quantity of round balls flew through the air and was timed to open over troop formations by an internal bursting charge that dispersed the balls over a large area. The balls then rained down on troops in the open, intending to cause mass casualties.
The last widespread use of "Shrapnel Shells" in combat of any consequence was WW1. Cooper wrote that in his ROTC days, they expended WW1 surplus Shrapnel Shells in training.
So, now you can be amused when reporters claim combat injuries due to "Shrapnel", when in reality, it's fragments from a grenade, or rocket, or artillery.
The photo below is of a real Shrapnel artillery shell. The bursting charge was place below the disc that is under the shot column. Upon ignition, the disc would act as a piston, pushing the shot column forward, dispersing the balls much the same as a modern shotgun shell.
So that boys and girls is your mini history lesson for today. Now you can call out bad usage of this term...for what it's worth.
