European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 1, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes monday july tank busting is. Go benefits9 mommies demonstrate mine and its planter by Perry Flippin staff write Hanau Germany is they probably have the Best mine layer to be found anywhere but British mommies Aren t Apt to boast about mechanical  Are More impressed by snack bars and saturday night dances. A 56-Man contingent from to health engr brigade of the British 35th corps has spent five Day sin Pioneer Cavern Here and they Are convinced that these Ameri can blokes Don t know How Good they have  Chow it s better than they feed us at Home one said. And we Haven t anything to compare wit your service clubs. We be had two Blinkin dances in the 18months i be been in Germany. And that was at  the occasion for the visit Here was a two hour demonstration of a newly developed antitank min and a mine laying device that will become part of the British army inventory Early next year. A Large gallery of american officers and cos including it. Gen. John a. Heintges Deputy commander in chief for usar eur and seventh army and it. Gen. Andrew a Boyle v corp Sci were an hand to see the Brit ish display at Campo Pond  f. C. Caldwell Brit ish corps commander lamented the current problems Finan Cial problems of both ," he said to feel that we now have the equipment the bar mine and mine layer that provides a significant and Vance toward solving this prob  demonstration was started to evaluate the equipment s capabilities. In designing the new concept British engineers sought to Inte grate the system by producing advice which is Able to operate with fewer personnel on More ragged terrain with a higher mine laying rate and with Lowe Overall expense. Hie British answer they say accomplish Sall of those objectives in a most satisfactory  the american tank busting Mark Vii mine by comparison is a Flat round charge that re quires a mine laying train to accomplish wholesale  medium sized 50-ton tracked vehicle tows a three to five to truck and on the rear is dragged a huge Plo share device which cuts the Earth plants the mine and leaves a 30-Inch scar in its Wake. At least 15 men Are required to operate the american version. One British officer who had attempted to operate the american mine layer described its performance. In a singularly Buncom pm entry Way snorting across Europe Only to break Down at the critical  the British bar mine looks like two by four Plank about four feet Long. Unlike the Mark Vii itis armed automatically As it Sas photos byte Wrohde leaves the mine layer. The sensing element will detonate the device Only if sufficient weights dispersed Over an area in excess of six inches implanting the mine is accomplished with a simple blowing de vice towed by an armoured personnel Carrier pc. Protected by steel plating and employing the vehicle As a Magazine the four Man Crew arms the min Sand places them on a conveyor Belt. As the mine layer moves Alonga Tiller disc in the front of the plow makes a narrow slash through the turf then a Ripper Blade folds Back the Earth care mine layer s Ripper and covering devices Are raised for part of demonstration. Bar mine layer towed by a British armoured personnel Carrier implant mine. Fully to receive the mine an finally a Back Tiller follows to close the Furrow and conceal thymine s location with hardly any distinguishable  All thesis accomplished 50 times faster than the rate of the . Equiv Alent and with 10 fewer Moo in addition the British planner say they will need six times fewer bar mines than Mark vhf Salong a Given front in order to accomplish equal tank kills. The will be Able to resupply the mine layers easily by air or truck with pallets of 2,006 mines each. Boyle reacted to the Demon stration with enthusiasm. I think this is a very Fine piece of equipment he said i was very impressed with its and ruggedness and with its parity to Lay mines  How does the British  to the american ver. Sion it s a  improvement on anything i be seen Hunt it said. It is a faster Mure Nom local and an Overall Bette method of  at Home the mommies May sigh As they recall the Many pleasantries available to the Nisbut when they Are in the Field planting mines they can Smitas they think of their american cousins with their shovels. British bar mine is armed by turning lever on Side. Mines placed on conveyor Belt Bow loading procedure