The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Switch, booby trap, Combination (Murray) Mk II (Aust.). The switch consists of a hollow cylindrical body made from die-cast metal with a screw cap at one end (missing from this example) inside of which is a steel plunger and spring. It is designed to operate in three positions. 1. Push position, by the application of a weight or blow. 2. Release position, by the displacement of a weight or object. 3. Pull position, by a pull or trip wire or cord. In each of these positions the operation of the trap causes the release of a spring loaded plunger, the pointed lower end of which explodes the cap of an empty .303 cartridge case held in position by a collar engaging the rim of the case and screwing on to the trap body. Exploding of the cap fires a detonator of safety fuse held in position by being clamped between two small lugs cut in the end of the cartridge positioned in the screw cap. The switch can be secreted in various objects which, when removed or pressed, will operate the trap. A pair of mounting lugs are cast into the base of the switch. Used extensively against the Japanese in New Guinea and the island campaigns.
Invented and developed by Major C S Murray, of North Brighton, Victoria in 1943 and submitted to the Army Inventions Directorate. Following further development of this switch, (see REL/02069 for the original Mk I version) Murray was rewarded on 11 October 1950 with a 1,000 pound reward for the invention. The reward was actually paid on 14 February 1951; the invention considered of most value, a mine detector, was invented by Alfred Miller of Caulfield, Victoria, for which he was rewarded 1,500 pounds.
Switch, booby trap, combination Murray Mk 1 (Aust.) as used by the Australian Army during the Second World War. The switch consists of a hollow cylindrical body made from die-cast metal with a screw
Switch, booby trap, combination Murray Mk 1 (Aust.) as used by the Australian Army during the Second World War. The switch consists of a hollow cylindrical body made from die-cast metal with a screw
No 2 Mk 1 pressure switch made from cast metal. Markings 1 hour delay. Pressure switch used for booby trap installations or for controlled detonation scenarios employed by the Australian and British
Dynamo exploder Mk VII with plunger handle. The casing is painted green and has D rings high on two sides. On the top of the casing is a raised plunger receiver with a screw-cap. The plunger handle it
A No 36M Mark 1 HE (high explosive) grenade for booby trap use. The No 36M grenade is essentially the same as a No 36 HE grenade except the 36M was fitted with an instantaneous detonator rather than t
Steel man-trap with curved trigger base plate and two semi-circular toothed jaws. A degraded leather fob held in place with a cloth coated wire covers the spring arm fulcrum. The trap has been disarme
A No 36M Mark 1 HE (high explosive) grenade for booby trap use. The No 36M grenade is essentially the same as a No 36 HE grenade except the 36M was fitted with an instantaneous detonator rather than t
