A camouflet, in military science, is an artificial cavern created by an explosion. If the explosion reaches the surface then it is called a crater.[1]
The term was originally defined as a countermine dug by defenders to prevent the undermining of a fortress's walls during a siege. The defenders would dig a tunnel under the attackers' tunnel. An explosive charge would be detonated to create a camouflet that would collapse the attackers' tunnel.[2]
More recently, the term has been used to describe the effects of very large bombs like the Grand Slam bomb, which are designed to penetrate next to a large target structure and create a camouflet to undermine the foundations of the structure. It has been observed that it is more efficient to penetrate ground next to the target than to hit the target directly.
A camouflet set describes a system used in the British Army for cratering tracks and other routes. A tube is driven into the ground using a manual post driver. The end of the tube is a disposable steel point. A small charge connected to a detonator is lowered down the tube. The tube is then removed, and the hole tamped. The charge is then blown, leaving a void and a hole to the surface. This void is then filled with a much larger charge, which is also tamped, and then blown when required to create a crater as an obstacle. A refinement was introduced in the 1980s, with the use of a shaped charge to create the initial hole.
Because of the presence of high levels of toxic fumes from the explosive, including carbon monoxide, and the weakness of the soft earth overlying the cavern, camouflets are extremely hazardous to bomb disposal personnel.[3]
^"US MIL: Camouflet". Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
^Dictionary of Fortifications: Camouflet
^"Harry Beckingham obituary". The Telegraph. 2 April 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
A camouflet, in military science, is an artificial cavern created by an explosion. If the explosion reaches the surface then it is called a crater. The...
current use in articles about previous military periods. Some of them like camouflet have been adapted to describe modern versions of old techniques. Access...
explodes deep underground, causing massive caverns or craters known as camouflets, as well as intense shockwaves. In this way, the seismic bomb can affect...
directly, but to impact beside it, penetrate under it, and create a 'camouflet', or large buried cavern, at the same time as delivering a shock wave...
the enemy's tunnel in which they would detonate explosives to create a camouflet to destroy the enemy's tunnel. Night raids were also conducted with the...
1945), but rather to penetrate under the target and explode leaving a camouflet (cavern) which would undermine foundations of structures above, causing...
targets (such as submarine pens) it could be used indirectly to create a camouflet (cavern) that undermined structures such as bridges, viaducts and bunkers...
Parisian slang term meaning to disguise, and may have been influenced by camouflet, a French term meaning smoke blown in someone's face. The English zoologist...
speed, and would, upon impact, penetrate and explode deep underground ("camouflet"), causing massive caverns or craters, and affecting targets too large...
1916, British tunnellers fired 101 mines or camouflets, while German tunnellers fired 126 mines or camouflets. This amounts to a total of 227 mine explosions...
sixteen sappers were killed on 4 February, when the Germans detonated a camouflet near the British three-level mine system, starting from Inch Street, La...
Section's barracks and Mulley is nearly asphyxiated when he falls into its camouflet. Brian's difficult recovery strains his relationship with Susan near to...
Front, British tunnellers fired 101 mines or camouflets, while German tunnellers fired 126 mines or camouflets. This amounts to a total of 227 mine explosions...
Australian War Memorial. OCLC 220900299. Finlayson, Damien (2010). Crumps and Camouflets: Australian Tunnelling Companies on the Western Front. New Port, New South...
the energy of detonation is transferred into the structure or creates a camouflet (cavern or crater) into which the target would fall. The Royal Air Force...
impact penetrates and explodes deep underground, causing massive caverns (camouflets) or craters as well as much more severe shockwaves. In this way, they...
primary belt to give depth in front or behind or to protect the flanks. Camouflet Defense, U. S. Department of (27 July 2009). Dictionary of Military Terms...
Zealand. ISBN 978-0-19-553227-2. Finlayson, Damien (2010). Crumps and Camouflets: Australian Tunnelling Companies on the Western Front. Newport, New South...
Philippe; More, Sandrine (3 April 2017). "Brexit: l'Espagne inflige deux camouflets à Londres" [Brexit: Spain hits London with double whammy]. Le Monde (in...
"L'élection du Portugais Antonio Vitorino à la tête de l'OIM est un camouflet pour Trump - Le Temps" (in French). 2018-06-29. ISSN 1423-3967. Retrieved...
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