wartech2

A depth charge being thrown off the side of a ship into the ocean beneath.
In order to sink U-boats, Allied ships first used asdic( listening device) to determine the U-boat's location. Then the depth charges were sent down to destroy them. Depth charges contained 300 pounds of explosives and could detonate at depths of 600 feet. They were thrown in a diamond shape around the U-boat. Most U-boats were not sunk by direct hits, but rather by the pressure created by a number of charges which broke open the hull. The biggest problem faced by sailors was the fact that asdic did not work at close range and so when they threw the depth charges, they lost contact of the U-boat's location. During his service in the American Navy, Uncle Ben came across many German U-boats, and depth charges were commonly and effectively used throughout the war. Uncle Ben had marvelled at the depth charges, since these were practically the only weapons they had, to protect themselves from the menace of Nazi U-boats.

The Bren .303 Light Machine Gun
The Bren light machine gun was one of the best guns ever made and a favourite of the infantry in the War. Britain began using this gas-operated gun after 1932. Through British contracts, Canada made thousands of these guns in their munitions factories. The remarkable thing about the Bren was that it could change into a heavy machine gun, an anti-aircraft gun, as well as being used on vehicles. During D-day, many of the infantry carried this gun. My father while providing medical help to those who had fallen on the beaches, had picked up one of these guns off a dead soldier in an attempt to save ammunition.

Radar( Radio Direction and Ranging) was first mastered by the Aliies. It was soon to be used by Germany too. Radar soon became the primary source of defense a country could have. It was first tested in the Battle of Britain, where it proved to be a huge success, turning the battle in favour of the Aliies. From then, till the end of the war, radar was used in every aspect of the war where it was applicable. Uncle Robert was one of the first to know the effectiveness of radar, as it enabled them to know target positions very accurately and so the fighter pilots were able to save hundreds of lives. Uncle Ben also was fortunate enough to witness the advantages of radar. Using radar, their ships could locate U-boats beneath the surface and sink them. Radar was also used to detect enemy aircraft and guide bomber planes to their targets in the night.It truly was a revolution in technology. Today it is used in much more peaceful methods, to detect and track weather systems, as well as other applications.