As soldiers from the Bolesławiec Bomb Disposal Patrol of the 23rd Silesian Artillery Regiment report:
A Mystery for Historians: what was a British artillery shell doing near Zgorzelec?!?
What is known about the shell?
The soldiers:
A British 3.7-inch (94 mm) anti-aircraft artillery shell was found on Monday (24 May 2021) beside national road DK30 between Zgorzelec and Jelenia Góra (near the village of Łagów) during roadworks. The shell was lying on the ground beneath a tree.
They add:
After an initial examination, we determined that it was an anti-aircraft artillery shell—abandoned ammunition (not used in combat). We placed the shell in a fragmentation-protection container and, after transporting it, temporarily secured it at our MCPPA (Temporary Storage Site for Recovered Ammunition).
Why is this such an unusual find?
The bomb disposal specialists: “The construction of this shell seemed interesting to us because its caliber (94 mm) is not encountered in our area of responsibility.”
It was eventually established that it was:
- a fragmentation anti-aircraft artillery shell,
- with a caliber of 94 mm,
- with a No. 199 fuze (mechanical time-and-impact),
- used in British 3.7-inch anti-aircraft guns […],
- dating from the Second World War.
The uniformed personnel emphasize:
We remind you that all wartime ammunition remains dangerous, and tampering with it may result in death or disability.